This bill amends several sections of Florida law related to child welfare, specifically focusing on the administration of psychotropic medication to children in the custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF). It stipulates that a new medical report for prescribing such medication may only be required under specific circumstances, such as changes in dosage, type of medication, or the prescribing physician. Additionally, the qualifications for evaluators who assess children for residential treatment have been expanded to include licensed clinical social workers and licensed marriage and family therapists, alongside psychiatrists and psychologists.

Furthermore, the bill revises the definitions of "personnel" and "placement screening" in the context of child-placing agencies and residential child-caring agencies. It clarifies that personnel includes individuals who have direct contact with children and outlines the screening process for household members residing with agency operators. Lastly, it changes the requirement for physicians to provide documentation to pharmacies regarding psychotropic medication prescriptions, replacing the need for a signed attestation with a copy of the documentation. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 560 Filed: 409.912