Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 886 By the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; and Senator Leek 586-03171-25 2025886c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to crisis care coordination; creating 3 s. 394.6581, F.S.; requiring the Department of 4 Children and Families to implement, subject to 5 appropriation, Crisis Care Coordination Pilot Programs 6 in specified counties for certain purposes; providing 7 requirements for the pilot programs; requiring the 8 department to contract for an independent evaluation 9 of the pilot programs and submit a report to the 10 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date; 11 providing rulemaking authority; providing for 12 expiration of the pilot programs; providing an 13 effective date. 14 15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16 17 Section 1.Section 394.6581, Florida Statutes, is created 18 to read: 19 394.6581Crisis Care Coordination Pilot Programs. 20 (1)Subject to a specific appropriation, the department 21 shall establish and implement Crisis Care Coordination Pilot 22 Programs in Polk and Volusia Counties. The purpose of the pilot 23 programs is to reduce repeat involuntary examinations initiated 24 by law enforcement, provide persons who are experiencing an 25 acute mental health crisis an option for crisis intervention 26 other than the use of law enforcement, reduce their level of 27 follow-up interaction with law enforcement officers post crisis, 28 and assist them with engagement in behavioral health care. 29 (a)The pilot programs shall facilitate partnerships 30 between law enforcement agencies in Polk and Volusia Counties 31 and organizations in the coordinated system of care under s. 32 394.4573 that are operating in those counties by placing crisis 33 counselors within law enforcement agencies to intervene with and 34 provide follow-up care for persons who are experiencing or have 35 experienced an acute mental health crisis and their families and 36 support networks. 37 (b)The pilot programs shall be implemented by nationally 38 accredited community mental health centers in partnership with 39 local law enforcement. 40 (2)Crisis counselors placed in law enforcement agencies 41 shall provide support and assistance to persons who are 42 experiencing or have experienced an acute mental health crisis, 43 connecting them to the coordinated system of care. Duties of 44 crisis counselors shall include: 45 (a)Intervening when law enforcement is contacted relating 46 to a person experiencing an acute mental health crisis to make 47 observations and provide information to responding officers, 48 conduct assessments, de-escalate the crisis situation, or 49 provide referrals, as appropriate. 50 (b)Follow-up with such persons following an acute mental 51 health crisis involving law enforcement, such as an involuntary 52 examination as defined in s. 394.455 initiated by law 53 enforcement. A persons involvement with follow-up care is 54 voluntary. Such follow-up care by crisis counselors may include, 55 but is not limited to: 56 1.Conducting assessments. 57 2.Providing individualized safety planning tailored to the 58 persons needs and risks. 59 3.Providing supportive counseling. 60 4.Assisting persons in accessing recommended mental health 61 services and substance abuse services. 62 5.Assisting persons in adhering to discharge plans. 63 6.Providing care coordination as defined in s. 394.4573, 64 unless a person is already receiving that service from another 65 organization. 66 (3)The pilot programs shall establish formal partnerships 67 through written referral agreements and information exchange 68 procedures with, at a minimum, providers of mental health 69 services and substance abuse services, local hospitals licensed 70 under chapter 395, and not-for-profit agencies and other 71 organizations which can be of assistance to persons who are 72 experiencing or have experienced an acute mental health crisis 73 and their families and support networks. Such agreements must, 74 at a minimum, facilitate timely access to community-based 75 behavioral health services and other local systems and entities 76 as provided in the persons discharge plan. 77 (4)The department shall contract for an independent 78 evaluation of the pilot programs regarding, at a minimum, their 79 effectiveness and return on investment. By January 15, 2029, the 80 department shall submit a report of the findings of the 81 evaluation of the pilot programs to the Governor, the President 82 of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 83 which must include, at a minimum: 84 (a)The amount of time that law enforcement officers were 85 engaged in responses to persons who were experiencing or had 86 experienced an acute mental health crisis. 87 (b)Repeat involuntary examinations initiated by law 88 enforcement. 89 (c)Engagement in post-crisis mental health and substance 90 abuse services among persons served by the programs. 91 (d)The effectiveness of the pilot program services. 92 (e)Recommendations regarding enhancements to, and 93 continuation and expansion of, the pilot programs. 94 (5)The department may adopt rules to implement this 95 section. 96 (6)This section expires June 30, 2029. 97 Section 2.This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.