Florida remains dedicated to help those with mental health problems and addiction issues
Tallahassee, Florida – Last week, Governor Ron DeSantis signed two new laws that will help Florida’s mental health and substance abuse programs expand. Senate Bill 1620 and Senate Bill 168 are two proposals that aim to give more resources and better care to Floridians who are struggling with mental health issues and addiction.
In addition to these new laws, the Governor said that the Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida will now be called the “Senator Darryl E. Rouson Center for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Research.” This is a tribute to Senator Rouson’s long-standing commitment to these issues.
Governor DeSantis said that Florida remains a leader in this area and that the state is offering “meaningful solutions to tackle these complex issues and help improve people’s lives.” He also highlighted the importance of the Rouson Center, calling it the nation’s largest behavioral health services research institute and a vital force in advancing mental health and addiction treatment.
Senate Bill 1620 includes many critical suggestions from the Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder. One big difference is that professional mental health exams for clinicians and school-based mental health services will all be the same. The bill’s goal is to make sure that treatment selections are based on real needs by setting clear, quantifiable standards. This will lead to better outcomes for individuals getting care.
The bill also focuses on improving what happens after someone leaves a treatment facility. It says that discharge planning must include access to long-acting injectable drugs when they are medically necessary. This is aimed to help people who need it the most on a continuous basis.
SB 1620 will also help older people. The law instructs the Department of Children and Families to provide unique mobile crisis response services for older people. The goal of this measure is to make sure that older Floridians can quickly get care in mental health situations.
Another key part is making it easier for schools to get care. The new rule says that schools must regularly check on their telehealth programs, especially in rural and underserved areas. This will help more students get the mental health care they need, no matter where they live.
The law puts money into the behavioral health workforce to meet the rising need for services. It pays for training programs, professional stipends, and other programs that help people get jobs throughout the state.
The “Tristin Murphy Act,” or Senate Bill 168, is about changing the criminal justice system to better deal with mental illness. The bill gives people with mental health problems more choices for getting help instead of going through the criminal court system. Counties and cities can now set up diversion programs for both misdemeanors and felonies.
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The bill makes it plain how sheriffs, judges, and treatment providers should help people with serious mental illness get out of jail and into treatment. It also expands the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant Program to include a new focus on veteran treatment courts and particular training for emergency responders.
Also, SB 168 says that people who have been deemed incompetent by the courts must have mental health examinations before they may be put on probation and sent back into society. This change is meant to plug a gap and make communities safer.
These new rules show that Florida is taking a broad approach to helping people with mental health and drug addiction problems. They make services easier to get and make the system stronger for the people who need it the most.
