Florida Coalition for Optimal Mental Health & Aging Newsletter, Summer 2002, Vol 5, No 1

2002 legislative session passes important bills impacting florida's elders

The 2002 Legislature passed a number of important bills that will impact the lives of Florida's elders. Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1276 makes significant changes to the planning and provision of health and human services in Florida. This bill creates

the Health and Human Services Act to streamline eligibility and referral information concerning all HHS services;
a managed, integrated long-term care pilot project to test the feasibility of having a single agency direct all state-funded programs for the elderly;
an Office of Long-Term Care Policy within DOEA to evaluate, improve, and coordinate the state's long-term care delivery system, and make recommendations to increase the availability and use of community settings for services to the elderly; and
the Consumer-Directed Care Program to give elders choices in their long-term care.

This bill also provides for the creation of a nursing home transition program to assist nursing home residents to regain their independence and move to less costly settings. This program will be coordinated by DOEA and the Agency for Health Care Administration. Finally, the bill places the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program under the administration of the Secretary of DOEA.

In mental health and substance abuse, CS/CS/SB 2254 directs the Department of Children and Families to establish a workgroup to review the issues associated with services provided through supportive housing and develop recommendations for supportive housing living arrangements. Representatives from the Department of Children and Families, Agency for Health Care Administration, Department of Elder Affairs, and designated organizations in the field will staff the workgroup. Its recommendations are to be included in the January 2003 update of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Master Plan.

The state budget was passed during a special session. During the special session, the Legislature also passed Senate Bill 46-E establishing the Florida Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute at the University of South Florida. A not-for-profit corporation will govern the Institute under an agreement with the State Board of Education. The Institute's board of directors must establish a council of scientific advisors and appoint a CEO. An appropriation of $5 million for the University of South Florida Center and $1 million for Alzheimer's medical research at the University of Florida was provided.

Written by: Sharon Anderson

stephen ferrante honored

steve and his mother at the event Stephen Ferrante, a charter member of the Florida Coalition, was awarded the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute Innovator Award at a ceremony held May 16th at the Embassy Suites, USF, in Tampa.

The Innovator Award recognizes individuals whose creativity and vision inspires implementation of exemplary practices for serving people with mental, addictive, and developmental disorders in Florida and the nation.

Mr. Ferrante is the Executive Director for Broward County's Elderly and Veterans Services Division where he is responsible for community care, mental health, substance abuse, and support services to Broward's elders and veterans.

Through his creative thinking, hard work, and voluntary efforts, he has had significant influence on Florida's service systems for older adults. Mr. Ferrante developed a publicly funded model substance abuse service system specifically for older people in Broward.

During his acceptance remarks Mr. Ferrante recognized that his is a team effort, and thanked his grandfather, and his mother who was in attendance.