The bill amends section 39.523 of the Florida Statutes to enhance the data-sharing requirements among various state agencies, including the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Health, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and the Agency for Health Care Administration. These agencies are mandated to provide community-based care lead agencies with a detailed list of licensed out-of-home placement providers and treatment facilities in their regions, as well as weekly updates on the current number of available beds in these facilities. This aims to improve the matching of children in need of care with appropriate placements.

Additionally, the bill requires the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the state's capacity to care for high-acuity children in out-of-home placements and treatment facilities. The analysis will include a review of the roles and responsibilities of the involved agencies, an evaluation of the sufficiency of current bed capacity, and an assessment of the recruitment and retention efforts for specialized placements. The office is tasked with submitting interim and final reports of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by specified dates, with the act set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 475 Filed: 39.302, 39.4021, 391.029, 393.065, 409.166, 934.255, 960.065, 984.03