Bill Text: FL S1694 | 2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Programs and Services for Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2023-05-05 - Died in Children, Families, and Elder Affairs [S1694 Detail]
Download: Florida-2023-S1694-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1694
By Senator Jones
34-01419-23 20231694__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to programs and services for young
3 adults with developmental disabilities; creating s.
4 393.5015, F.S.; providing legislative intent; creating
5 the Transition Success Network for a specified
6 purpose; providing for the composition of the network;
7 providing duties for the Agency for Persons with
8 Disabilities and certain divisions of the Department
9 of Education; providing purposes and duties of the
10 network; providing for an initial statewide needs
11 assessment and biennial local needs assessments;
12 providing network requirements; providing for funding;
13 amending s. 1003.5716, F.S.; requiring a member of the
14 network to participate, upon request, in individual
15 education plan meetings for students with
16 disabilities; providing an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. Section 393.5015, Florida Statutes, is created
21 to read:
22 393.5015 Transition Success Network for young adults with
23 developmental disabilities.—
24 (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—
25 (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to recognize the
26 critical importance of supporting young adults with
27 developmental disabilities as they transition from the K-12
28 education system.
29 (b) It is the further intent of the Legislature to provide
30 accessible programs for young adults with developmental
31 disabilities which will foster success and independent living.
32 To achieve this intent, the Transition Success Network is
33 created as a multiagency network to fully meet the needs of
34 young adults with developmental disabilities.
35 (2) TRANSITION SUCCESS NETWORK.—
36 (a)1. The Transition Success Network shall consist of
37 public and private state and local entities that are coordinated
38 on a regional basis and that collaborate to provide young adults
39 with developmental disabilities as defined in s. 393.063 and
40 their families the knowledge of and connection to programs,
41 support, and services necessary to succeed during transition
42 from the K-12 education system.
43 2. The agency shall serve as the lead agency of the network
44 and shall coordinate with other participating agencies and
45 organizations.
46 3. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the
47 Division of Career and Adult Education of the Department of
48 Education shall participate in the network, along with school
49 districts and providers, CareerSource Florida, Inc., and the
50 Able Trust.
51 4. Additional individuals and entities may participate in
52 the network, including, but not limited to, the Florida
53 Developmental Disabilities Council, local chambers of commerce,
54 nonprofit organizations serving young adults with developmental
55 disabilities and their families, and waiver support coordinators
56 and other providers of services to such young adults and their
57 families.
58 (b) The purpose of the network is to:
59 1. Enable young adults with developmental disabilities who
60 are going to transition from the K-12 education system to
61 identify and connect to further educational opportunities, skill
62 development programs, or meaningful day activities.
63 2. Identify opportunities and strategies for young adults
64 with developmental disabilities which help them achieve greater
65 independence, participate to a greater extent in their
66 communities, and access and maintain employment.
67 3. Assess availability and variety of programs, regionally
68 and statewide, in relation to the need for services to determine
69 whether programs and services are made available in the least
70 restrictive manner consistent with the needs of a young adult
71 with disabilities and as close as possible to his or her home.
72 4. Integrate a wide range of services necessary to support
73 young adults with disabilities and their families.
74 (c) The network shall:
75 1. Support and represent the needs of young adults with
76 disabilities through an initial statewide needs assessment,
77 conducted by the agency, and biennial local needs assessments,
78 conducted by regional networks, to identify areas of need
79 regarding postsecondary programs.
80 2. Examine data from the statewide assessment and the local
81 needs assessments to measure accessibility to programs and form
82 partnerships to commit to improvements in the provision of
83 services to overcome barriers of mutual concern.
84 3. Facilitate and increase access to local systems of care
85 for young adults with disabilities and their families.
86 4. Support young adults with disabilities in preventing
87 regression of their progress in daily functioning and
88 independence by connecting them to programs and services that
89 teach and promote useful skills, appropriate behaviors, and
90 healthy functioning.
91 5. Participate in individual education plan meetings for
92 young adults with disabilities, as requested by the student or
93 the parent.
94 (3) FUNDING.—Applicable departments and agencies of the
95 state may use appropriate funds for the Transition Success
96 Network.
97 Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 1003.5716, Florida
98 Statutes, is amended to read:
99 1003.5716 Transition to postsecondary education and career
100 opportunities.—All students with disabilities who are 3 years of
101 age to 21 years of age have the right to a free, appropriate
102 public education. As used in this section, the term “IEP” means
103 individual education plan.
104 (1) To ensure quality planning for a successful transition
105 of a student with a disability to postsecondary education and
106 career opportunities, during the student’s seventh grade year or
107 when the student attains the age of 12, whichever occurs first,
108 an IEP team shall begin the process of, and develop an IEP for,
109 identifying the need for transition services before the student
110 with a disability enters high school or attains the age of 14
111 years, whichever occurs first, in order for his or her
112 postsecondary goals and career goals to be identified. The plan
113 must be operational and in place to begin implementation on the
114 first day of the student’s first year in high school. This
115 process must include, but is not limited to, all of the
116 following:
117 (a) Consideration of the student’s need for instruction in
118 the area of self-determination and self-advocacy to assist the
119 student’s active and effective participation in an IEP meeting.;
120 (b) Preparation for the student to graduate from high
121 school with a standard high school diploma pursuant to s.
122 1003.4282 with a Scholar designation unless the parent chooses a
123 Merit designation.; and
124 (c) Provision of the information to the student and his or
125 her parent of the school district’s high school-level transition
126 services, career and technical education, and collegiate
127 programs available to students with disabilities and how to
128 access such programs. Information shall also be provided on
129 school-based transition programs and programs and services
130 available through Florida’s Center for Students with Unique
131 Abilities, the Florida Centers for Independent Living, the
132 Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Agency for Persons
133 with Disabilities, and the Division of Blind Services. Referral
134 forms, links, and technical support contacts for these services
135 must be provided to students and parents at IEP meetings.
136 (d) Participation of a member of the Transition Success
137 Network, as provided in s. 393.5015, who shall attend IEP
138 meetings and provide additional assistance based on the
139 student’s needs and goals, as requested by the student or the
140 parent.
141 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
