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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to behavioral health teaching 2
hospitals; creating part VI of ch. 395, F.S., entitled 3
"Behavioral Health Teaching Hospitals"; creating s. 4
395.901, F.S.; defining the terms "agency" and 5
"behavioral health teaching hospital"; providing 6
legislative findings and intent; creating s. 395.902, 7
F.S.; specifying the manner in which hospitals may 8
seek designation as a behavioral health teaching 9
hospital; specifying criteria that a hospital must 10
meet to receive such designation; amending s. 1004.44, 11
F.S.; establishing the Florida Center for Behavioral 12
Health Workforce within the Louis de la Parte Florida 13
Mental Health Institute for a specified purpose; 14
specifying the primary goals of the center; requiring 15
the center to establish and maintain a database o n the 16
supply and demand of behavioral health professionals 17
in this state for a specified purpose; authorizing the 18
center to request, and requiring certain boards to 19
provide, certain information regarding behavioral 20
health professionals licensed or practici ng in this 21
state; requiring the center to submit an annual report 22
of certain information to the Governor and the 23
Legislature; establishing the Florida Behavioral 24
Health Professions Scholarship and Grants Program, 25
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subject to an appropriation, to be administ ered by the 26
center; providing purposes of the program; specifying 27
the center's duties in administering the program; 28
requiring the center, in collaboration with the Board 29
of Governors and the State Board of Education, to 30
identify certain indicators for meas uring progress and 31
performance of the educational programs at designated 32
behavioral health teaching hospitals in this state; 33
requiring the center to provide an annual report to 34
the Governor, the Legislature, the Chancellor of the 35
State University System, a nd the Commissioner of 36
Education; providing requirements for the report; 37
requiring the center, in collaboration with the Board 38
of Governors, the State Board of Education, and other 39
stakeholders, to submit statutory and budget 40
recommendations to the Governo r and the Legislature by 41
a specified date each year; requiring the Board of 42
Governors and the State Board of Education, in 43
consultation with the center, to adopt any necessary 44
regulations and rules in an expeditious manner; 45
requiring the Department of Chil dren and Families, in 46
coordination with the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental 47
Health Institute, to contract for a two -part study of 48
the state's behavioral health system; specifying 49
requirements for the study; providing effective dates. 50
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51
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 52
53
Section 1. Part VI of chapter 395, Florida Statutes, 54
consisting of ss. 395.901 and 395.902, Florida Statutes, is 55
created and entitled "Behavioral Health Teaching Hospitals." 56
Section 2. Section 395.901, Flo rida Statutes, is created 57
to read: 58
395.901 Behavioral health teaching hospitals. — 59
(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this part, the term: 60
(a) "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care 61
Administration. 62
(b) "Behavioral health teaching hospital" means a 63
community-based hospital licensed under this chapter which has 64
partnered with a university school of medicine and offers 65
integrated behavioral health education as specified in s. 66
395.902. 67
(2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. — 68
(a) The Legislature finds that there is a critical 69
shortage of behavioral health professionals and recognizes the 70
urgent need to expand the existing behavioral health workforce, 71
prepare for an aging workforce, incentivize entry into 72
behavioral health professions, and train a modernized workforce 73
in innovative integrated care. 74
(b) The Legislature finds there is a specific need to 75
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support a behavioral health education system that not only 76
trains the next generation of professionals in innovative and 77
integrated care for those with behavio ral health needs, but also 78
works to modernize the state's overall behavioral health system 79
of care. 80
(c) Therefore, the Legislature intends to identify and 81
designate multiple behavioral health teaching hospitals that 82
work to provide the necessary research , education, and services 83
to not only enhance this state's behavioral health workforce, 84
but to make that workforce and system of care the national 85
standard. The Legislature intends to partner with the University 86
of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital to establish a pilot 87
designated behavioral health teaching hospital to develop and 88
implement a statewide model, and further intends to create the 89
Behavioral Health Workforce Center within the university's Louis 90
de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute t o address issues of 91
workforce supply and demand in behavioral health professions, 92
including issues of recruitment, retention, and workforce 93
resources. 94
(d) The Legislature intends for designated behavioral 95
health teaching hospitals to: 96
1. Focus on state-of-the-art behavioral health research. 97
2. Provide leading-edge education and training for this 98
state's behavioral health workforce in innovative and integrated 99
care. 100
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3. Collaborate with other college and university schools 101
of nursing, psychology, social work, pharmacy, public health, 102
and other relevant disciplines to promote and enhance a 103
modernized behavioral health system of care. 104
4. Develop, implement, and promote public -private 105
partnerships throughout this state to support and enhance the 106
intent of this part. 107
5. Provide inpatient and outpatient behavioral health care 108
and support the state in providing treatment and care for those 109
whose need and acuity has resulted in the need for long -term 110
voluntary or involuntary civil commitment. 111
Section 3. Section 395.902, Florida Statutes, is created 112
to read: 113
395.902 Designated behavioral health teaching hospitals. — 114
(1) A hospital that partners with a university school of 115
medicine may seek designation as a behavioral health teaching 116
hospital by submitting an application and required documentation 117
to the agency in a manner determined by the agency. 118
(2) To be designated as a behavioral health teaching 119
hospital, a hospital must meet all of the following criteria: 120
(a) Offer a psychiatric residency program accredited 121
through the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation 122
Council of Graduate Medical Education. 123
(b) Offer a postdoctoral clinical psychology fellowship 124
program accredited by the American Psychological Association. 125
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(c) Develop and maintain a consultation agreement with the 126
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute as established 127
in s. 1004.44, including with the Florida Center for Behavioral 128
Health Workforce. 129
(d) As part of its partnership with a university school of 130
medicine, develop a plan that meets all of the following 131
criteria: 132
1. Promotes a coordinated system of care which offers 133
inpatient and outpatient treatment and services for individuals 134
with behavioral health needs, including, but not limited to, 135
prevention, community inpatient care, crisis stabilization, 136
short-term residential treatment, screening, therapeutic and 137
supportive services, and long -term care. 138
2. Develops and offers integrated workforce development 139
programs, including, but not limited to, practicu ms and 140
internships for clinical and nonclinical behavioral and physical 141
health professions. 142
3. Coordinates and promotes innovative partnerships that 143
integrate colleges and schools of nursing, psychology, social 144
work, pharmacy, public health, and other re levant disciplines 145
with existing local and regional programs, clinics, and 146
resources. 147
Section 4. Subsections (6), (7), and (8) are added to 148
section 1004.44, Florida Statutes, to read: 149
1004.44 Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health 150
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Institute.—There is established the Louis de la Parte Florida 151
Mental Health Institute within the University of South Florida. 152
(6)(a) There is established, within the institute, the 153
Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce to address issues 154
of workforce supply and de mand in behavioral health professions, 155
including issues of recruitment, retention, and workforce 156
resources. 157
(b) The primary goals for the center are to: 158
1. Develop a strategic statewide plan for the behavioral 159
health workforce in this state by: 160
a. Conducting a statistically valid biennial data -driven 161
analysis of the supply and demand of the behavioral health 162
workforce. To achieve such goal, the center must: 163
(I) Establish and maintain a database on the supply and 164
demand of behavioral health professio nals in this state, to 165
include current supply and demand; and 166
(II) Analyze the current and future supply and demand in 167
the state. 168
b. Developing recommendations and strategies to increase 169
behavioral health faculty and educational supervision, support 170
behavioral health faculty development, and promote advanced 171
behavioral health education. 172
c. Developing best practices in the academic preparation 173
and continuing education needs of qualified behavioral health 174
educators. 175
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d. Collecting data on behavioral he alth faculty, 176
employment, distribution, and retention. 177
e. Piloting innovative projects to support the 178
recruitment, development, and retention of qualified behavioral 179
health faculty and clinical preceptors. 180
f. Encouraging and coordinating the developmen t of 181
academic-practice partnerships, to support behavioral health 182
faculty employment and advancement. 183
g. Developing distance learning infrastructure for 184
behavioral health education and advancing faculty competencies 185
in the pedagogy of teaching and the ev idence-based use of 186
technology, simulation, and distance learning techniques. 187
2. Enhance and promote behavioral health professionals in 188
this state by developing and promoting: 189
a. Behavioral health excellence programs; 190
b. Reward, recognition, and renewal activities; and 191
c. Media and image-building efforts. 192
3. Convene various groups representative of behavioral 193
health professions, other health care providers, business and 194
industry, consumers, lawmakers, and educators to: 195
a. Review and comment on data analysis prepared for the 196
center; 197
b. Recommend systemic changes, including strategies for 198
implementation of recommended changes; and 199
c. Evaluate and report the results of these efforts to the 200
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Legislature and other entities. 201
(c) The center may request from any board as defined in s. 202
456.001, and the board must provide to the center upon its 203
request, any information held by the board regarding a 204
behavioral health professional licensed in this state or holding 205
a multistate license pursuant to a p rofessional multistate 206
licensure compact or information reported to the board by 207
employers of such behavioral health professionals, other than 208
personal identifying information. 209
(d) By January 10 of each year, the center shall submit a 210
report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the 211
Speaker of the House of Representatives providing details of its 212
activities during the preceding calendar year in pursuit of its 213
goals and in the execution of its duties under paragraph (b). 214
(7)(a) There is estab lished a Florida Behavioral Health 215
Professions Scholarship and Grants Program, subject to an 216
appropriation by the Legislature, to be administered by the 217
Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce. The purpose of 218
the program is to provide scholarships t o students enrolled in 219
educational programs, including practicums, internships, and 220
rotations, at designated behavioral health teaching hospitals in 221
this state and provide grants to support establishment of such 222
educational programs. 223
(b) The center must, at a minimum, do all of the following 224
to administer the Florida Behavioral Health Professions 225
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Scholarship and Grants Program: 226
1. Coordinate, facilitate, and oversee statewide 227
implementation of the Florida Behavioral Health Professions 228
Scholarship and Grants Program. 229
2. Consult and collaborate with designated behavioral 230
health teaching hospitals and affiliated universities to 231
identify eligible educational programs to offer the scholarship 232
program. 233
3. Establish requirements, timelines, and processes fo r 234
eligibility and application for scholarships and grants. 235
4. Administer scholarship funds. The annual amount of the 236
scholarship to be provided to an eligible student must be the 237
amount specified in the General Appropriations Act. 238
5. Administer grant f unds. The grants must be used for the 239
implementation and operation of educational programs, including 240
practicums, internships, and rotations, at designated behavioral 241
health teaching hospitals in this state. Funds appropriated to 242
the center may be used for such grants only as specifically 243
authorized in the General Appropriations Act. 244
6. Report on the implementation and administration of this 245
subsection by planning, advising, and evaluating approved degree 246
and certificate programs and the performance of st udents and 247
programs pursuant to paragraph (c). 248
(c)1. The center, in collaboration with the Board of 249
Governors and the State Board of Education, shall identify 250
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indicators for the satisfactory progress of students enrolled in 251
educational programs, includin g practicums, internships, and 252
rotations, at designated behavioral health teaching hospitals in 253
this state and for the performance of such programs. 254
2. By October 1, 2025, and each year thereafter, the 255
center shall provide to the Governor, the President of the 256
Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 257
Chancellor of the State University System, and the Commissioner 258
of Education a report summarizing, at a minimum, the status of 259
the statewide coordination and implementation of educational 260
programs, including practicums, internships, and rotations, at 261
designated behavioral health teaching hospitals in this state 262
and the Florida Behavioral Health Professions Scholarships and 263
Grants Program, including, but not limited to, the: 264
a. Number of applications approved and denied and the 265
reasons for each denial. 266
b. Number and value of all scholarships awarded to 267
students. 268
c. Projected number of students who may be eligible to 269
enroll in educational programs, including practicums, 270
internships, and rota tions, at designated behavioral health 271
teaching hospitals in this state within the next academic year. 272
3. The center, in collaboration with the Board of 273
Governors, the State Board of Education, and other stakeholders, 274
by December 1 of each year, shall su bmit to the Governor, the 275
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President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of 276
Representatives statutory and budget recommendations for 277
improving the implementation and delivery of scholarships and 278
grants. 279
(8) The Board of Governors and the State Boa rd of 280
Education, in consultation with the center, shall expeditiously 281
adopt any necessary regulations and rules, as applicable, to 282
allow the center to perform its responsibilities under 283
subsections (6) and (7) beginning in the 2025 -2026 fiscal year. 284
Section 5. Effective upon this act becoming a law, the 285
Department of Children and Families, in coordination with the 286
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, must contract 287
for a two-part study of Florida's behavioral health system. 288
(1) The first part of the study must be a study of 289
Florida's behavioral health system in general, including, but 290
not limited to, all of the following: 291
(a) An analysis of Florida's behavioral health workforce 292
and behavioral health education and training. 293
(b) An evaluation of how to best promote, integrate, and 294
incentivize the establishment of behavioral health teaching 295
hospitals, as detailed in this act. 296
(c) Policy recommendations for recruiting, training, and 297
retaining an integrated behavioral health workforce. 298
(2) The second part of the study must be a detailed 299
analysis of Florida's involuntary commitment system, including, 300
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but not limited to, all of the following: 301
(a) Involuntary commitment bed capacity, in both forensic 302
and civil involuntary commitment sett ings. 303
(b) Involuntary commitment policies and processes. 304
(c) Policy recommendations for ensuring sufficient 305
involuntary commitment bed capacity. 306
(d) An evaluation of maintaining civil commitment beds as 307
a requirement for designation as a behavioral h ealth teaching 308
hospital, to include potential costs related to capital outlay, 309
enhanced bed rate, and staffing requirements. 310
(e) Recommendations for promoting coordination between 311
Florida's involuntary commitment system, behavioral health 312
teaching hospitals, and other integrated health programs. 313
Section 6. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 314
act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon 315
this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 316
2024. 317