Bill > H0795

Introduced Session

An act relating to peer specialists; amending s. 394.4573, F.S.; providing that the use of peer specialists is an essential element of a coordinated system of care in recovery from a substance use disorder or mental illness; making a technical change; amending s. 397.4073, F.S.; revising background screening requirements for certain peer specialists; revising authorizations relating to work by applicants who have committed disqualifying offenses; making a technical change; amending s. 397.417, F.S.; providing legislative findings and intent; revising requirements for certification as a peer specialist; requiring the Department of Children and Families to develop a training program for peer specialists and to give preference to trainers who are certified peer specialists; requiring the training program to coincide with a competency exam and be based on current practice standards; authorizing the department to certify peer specialists, either directly or by approving a third-party credentialing entity; prohibiting third-party credentialing entities from conducting background screenings for peer specialists; requiring that a person providing recovery support services be certified or be supervised by a licensed hb0795-00 HB 795 behavioral health care professional or a certain certified peer specialist; authorizing the department, a behavioral health managing entity, or the Medicaid program to reimburse recovery support services as a recovery service; encouraging Medicaid managed care plans to use peer specialists in providing recovery services; requiring peer specialists and certain persons to meet the requirements of a background screening as a condition of employment and continued employment; requiring certain entities to forward fingerprints to specified entities; requiring the department to screen results to determine if the peer specialist meets the certification requirements; requiring that fees for state and federal fingerprint processing be borne by the peer specialist applying for employment; requiring that any arrest record identified through background screening be reported to the department; authorizing the department or the Agency for Health Care Administration to contract with certain vendors for fingerprinting; specifying requirements for vendors; specifying disqualifying offenses for a peer specialist who applies for certification; authorizing a person who does not meet background screening requirements to request an exemption from disqualification from the department or hb0795-00 HB 795 the agency; providing that a peer specialist certified as of the effective date of the act is deemed to satisfy the requirements of the act; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Elizabeth Fetterhoff (R)*,  Dianne Hart-Lowman (D)*,  Mike Caruso (R),  Christine Hunschofsky (D),  Dotie Joseph (D),  Michele Rayner (D),  David Smith (R),  Susan L. Valdés (R),  Marie Woodson (D), 

Other Sponsors (1)

Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 282 (on 02/22/2022)

Official Document