Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1302
By
Senator Rouson
16-01111B-26 20261302__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to pediatric behavioral and mental
3 health screenings; creating s. 409.9746, F.S.;
4 requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration to
5 adopt rules establishing certain practice parameters
6 and protocols for early periodic screening,
7 diagnostic, and treatment services for pediatric
8 behavioral and mental health screenings; specifying
9 such practice parameters and protocols; requiring
10 health care providers to provide a parent or legal
11 guardian information on sleep, screen time, and
12 nutrition; requiring the Department of Health to
13 develop and make such information available for
14 download by health care providers; requiring the
15 agency, by a specified date, to adopt performance
16 measures relating to early periodic screening,
17 diagnostic, and treatment services; requiring the
18 agency to collect and report performance measures and
19 outcome data to the Governor and the Legislature,
20 beginning on a specified date and annually thereafter;
21 providing an effective date.
22
23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
24
25 Section 1. Section 409.9746, Florida Statutes, is created
26 to read:
27
409.9746 Early periodic screening, diagnostic, and
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treatment services; pediatric behavioral and mental health
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screenings.—
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(1) The agency shall adopt rules establishing practice
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parameters and protocols and requiring managed care plans to
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provide
early periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment
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services consistent with such practice parameters and protocols,
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including, but not limited to, all of the following:
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(a) The use of validated, age-appropriate, trauma-informed
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diagnostic tools based on nationally recognized clinical
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practice guidelines to provide early periodic screening,
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diagnostic, and treatment services to participants from birth
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through 21 years of age.
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(b) Authorizing a health care provider to use mobile
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response teams, community mental health centers, behavioral
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health hubs, and other qualified health care providers for
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consultation, support with medication management, and
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introduction of
a
patient to another health care provider as a
45
referral.
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(c) Encouraging parents or legal guardians to participate
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in mental health programs that provide education and support,
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including, but not limited to, general parenting skills or more
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specialized programs that offer education and support for more
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specific behavioral or mental health issues.
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(d) Requiring health care providers to give parents or
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legal guardians information created by the Department of Health
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about sleep, screen time, and nutrition. The department shall
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develop such information and make it available for download by
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health care providers.
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(2) By January 1, 2027, the agency shall adopt performance
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measures related to early periodic screening, diagnostic, and
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treatment services and establish outcome data reporting
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requirements. The agency shall use the measures as a tool to
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monitor plan performance in connection with other measures
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required pursuant to this part. Beginning January 1, 2028,
and
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annually thereafter,
the agency shall submit a report on the
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performance measures and outcome data to the Governor, the
64
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
65
Representatives.
66 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.