Florida Senate - 2023 CS for SB 272 By the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; and Senators Garcia, Osgood, Perry, and Book 586-03513-23 2023272c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to education for children and young 3 adults in out-of-home care; amending s. 39.4085, F.S.; 4 requiring a case manager or other staff to provide a 5 child with verbal and written information about 6 certain topics; deleting limitations on the type of 7 questions a child may ask; establishing the Office of 8 the Childrens Ombudsman within the Department of 9 Children and Families; specifying responsibilities of 10 the office; requiring the department to consult with 11 specified children and young adults when creating or 12 revising certain print or digital written information; 13 conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 14 providing an effective date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18 Section 1.Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 19 39.4085, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsections (4) and 20 (5) are added to that section, to read: 21 39.4085Goals for dependent children; responsibilities; 22 education; Office of the Childrens Ombudsman. 23 (3)(a)The case manager or other staff shall, at a minimum, 24 provide verbal and written: 25 1.Instructions to a child entering shelter or foster care 26 to educate the child on identifying and reporting abuse, 27 abandonment, or neglect. 28 2.Information to a child about laws and requirements 29 relating to the topic of normalcy and what that means for a 30 child in out-of-home care; education; participation in court 31 proceedings; participation in permanency planning, transition 32 planning, and other case planning; placement, visitation, and 33 contact with siblings, family, and other individuals who are 34 important to the child; and access to food, clothing, shelter, 35 and health care. 36 37 The verbal and written instructions and information must use 38 words and phrasing that each child can understand and must occur 39 in a manner that is most effective for each child. The written 40 instructions and information are only required if the child is 41 of a sufficient age and understanding to receive such 42 instructions and information. The case manager or other staff 43 shall must give each child the opportunity to ask questions and 44 about his or her rights and how to identify and report abuse, 45 abandonment, or neglect. The case manager or other staff shall 46 document in court reports and case notes the date the 47 instructions and information were was provided to the child. The 48 case manager or other staff shall must review the instructions 49 and information with the child every 6 months and upon every 50 placement change until the child leaves shelter or foster care. 51 (4)The Office of the Childrens Ombudsman is established 52 within the department. To the extent permitted by available 53 resources, the office shall, at a minimum: 54 (a)Receive complaints from children and young adults about 55 placement, care, and services and assist in mediating such 56 concerns. 57 (b)Be a resource to identify and explain relevant polices 58 or procedures to children, young adults, and their caregivers. 59 (c)Provide recommendations to the department to address 60 systemic problems that are leading to complaints from children 61 and young adults. 62 (5)The department shall consult with children and young 63 adults who are currently or have formerly been in out-of-home 64 care when creating or revising any print or digital written 65 information used in implementing this section and shall use any 66 responses or feedback to ensure that such print or digital 67 written information is understandable by and appropriate and 68 useful for the children and young adults of the ages for which 69 such print or digital written information is intended. 70 Section 2.This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.