The proposed bill establishes Crisis Care Coordination Pilot Programs in Polk and Volusia Counties, aimed at improving mental health crisis intervention and reducing reliance on law enforcement. The Department of Children and Families is tasked with implementing these programs, which will involve partnerships between local law enforcement and accredited community mental health centers. The programs will place crisis counselors within law enforcement agencies to provide immediate support and follow-up care for individuals experiencing acute mental health crises. The counselors will conduct assessments, de-escalate situations, and connect individuals to necessary mental health and substance abuse services.

Additionally, the bill mandates an independent evaluation of the pilot programs to assess their effectiveness and return on investment, with a report due by January 15, 2029. The evaluation will focus on metrics such as law enforcement engagement time, the frequency of repeat involuntary examinations, and the level of post-crisis service engagement among participants. The bill also includes provisions for rulemaking by the department and specifies that the pilot programs will expire on June 30, 2029. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.