Florida Legislative Policy Priorities 2021-2022

The FLMHAC caucuses annually to prioritize legislation that will improve the mental health landscape in the state of Florida. The following are legislative priorities we are actively promoting in our state.

LEAD

988 CRISIS & ACCESS: Support 988, the new national hotline for suicide prevention and behavioral health by ensuring adequate infrastructure and staffing at all Lifeline call centers. 988 will go into effect by July of 2022 and will provide a behavioral health response for behavioral health crises, providing de-escalation and linkage to services. An effective behavioral health crisis response system must include Mobile Response Teams and Central Receiving Facilities. Ensure Florida’s MRTs and CRFs are available throughout the state.

PEER SPECIALISTS: Establish Certified Peer Recovery Specialists as essential in the continuum of care and ensure they can earn a living wage.

EARLY INTERVENTION: Promote Early Intervention by ensuring adequate state coverage and capacity of First Episode Psychosis Programs and promoting Mental Health Screenings in Pediatric Practices.

INTEGRATE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE in primary-care settings (including pediatrics) and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, and support their expansion throughout the state.

FAMILY HOMES: Promote more AHCA-licensed Adult Family Care Homes that provide up to five beds in family settings for people with disabilities, including serious mental illness. Remove the requirement that an owner reside in the home so that caregivers may live there to oversee the health of their residents.

COLLABORATE

EXPAND AFFORDABLE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING for people with serious mental illness. Save lives and money by avoiding incarcerations, hospitalizations, use of emergency services, and homelessness—and giving behavioral health treatment a chance.

EXPAND MEDICAID to cover another 1.2 million uninsured Floridians. States that expanded their Medicaid programs saw greater improvements in access to mental health services and medications, and a 44% average decline in uninsured mental health hospital stays.

END THE DEATH PENALTY FOR PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS who, when committing a crime, had significantly impaired ability to appreciate the consequences or wrongfulness of their actions, exercise rational judgment, or control their conduct in conformance with the law. People with developmental disabilities are already excluded from Florida’s death penalty.

LIMIT SOLITARY CONFINEMENT and eliminate its use for high-risk populations, including people with serious mental illness. This would lead to fewer psychiatric symptoms, lower rates of violence, improved re-entry and transitions back into the community, and increased cost savings to correctional systems. Extreme isolation can have a permanent impact and significantly increase the risk of suicide and self-injury.