The Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health contracts with seven managing entities for the administration and management of regional behavioral health services throughout the state. The managing entities are private organizations responsible for the planning, implementation, administration, monitoring, data collection, reporting, and analysis for behavioral health care in their regions. Managing entities contract with local network service providers for the provision of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.
The programs provided services for 452,178 individuals in Fiscal Year 2021-22; 189,642 adults and 262,536 children. Though the overall number served remained consistent, there were significantly fewer adults and more children served in Fiscal Year 2021-22 compared to the previous fiscal year.
The substance abuse program serves adolescents and adults affected by substance misuse, abuse, or dependence.
The mental health program services are focused on:
Each of the program's client groups has performance measures and standards included in the department's Long Range Program Plan that provide an indication of the program's success in meeting needs. For example, 73% of children successfully completed substance abuse treatment services, above the legislative standard of 48% for Fiscal Year 2021-22. The following table shows selected performance measures for the program.
Program Performance in Fiscal Year 2021-22 | |
Measure | Performance |
Percentage of adults with serious mental illness who are competitively employed | 40% |
Percentage of school days seriously emotionally disturbed children attended | 94% |
Percentage of children with emotional disturbance with improved functioning | 62% |
Percentage of children with serious emotional disturbance with improved functioning | 62% |
Percentage of adults who successfully complete substance abuse treatment services | 54% |
Source: Long Range Program Plan, Department of Children and Families. |
Fifty-nine percent of funding for community substance abuse and mental health is general revenue funds.
Fund | Dollars | Positions | |
---|---|---|---|
PROGRAM: COMMUNITY SERVICES | |||
COMMUNITY SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES |
1,534,220,731
|
155.00 |
|
TOTAL |
1,534,220,731 |
155.00 |
Mental Health Treatment. The 2023Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-270, Laws of Florida, which authorizes the Department of Children and Families to issue conditional designations for Baker Act receiving and treatment facilities as an alternative to the suspension or withdrawal of a standard facility designation as a result of licensure requirement violations. The law also modifies Ch. 916, Florida Statutes, regarding competency determination, treatment options, and restoration.
Operation and Administration of the Baker Act. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-198, Laws of Florida, which directs the Department of Children and Families to update and publish a Baker Act handbook annually and post the handbook on the agency's website by October 1 each year, as well as maintain a repository of frequently asked questions on the agency's website, which must be revised and expanded as necessary. The Department is also required to inform certain stakeholders of their role in the Baker Act process, support their effective implementation of the Act, and support and facilitate research conducted by public and private agencies, institutes of higher learning, and hospitals in the interest of the elimination and amelioration of mental illness.
Suicide Prevention. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-252, Laws of Florida, which allows certain first responder organizations to designate first responder peers, who may be active, volunteer, or retired first responders. The law allows diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder via telehealth for the purposes of obtaining worker's compensation benefits. The law renames the Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse to the Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder, and directs the Commission to conduct a study on certain services and programs relating to suicide prevention.
Substance Abuse Services. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-298, Laws of Florida, which modifies requirements for licensed substance abuse services providers offering treatment to individuals living in recovery residences. The law prohibits alcohol, marijuana (including marijuana certified by a qualified physician for medical use), illegal drugs, and prescription drugs when used by persons other than for whom the medication is prescribed from being used on the premises of providers licensed by the Department of Children and Families. The law requires service providers to provide proof of a prohibition on the use of these substances in applications for licensure and prohibits referrals from licensed service providers to recovery residences that allow the use of these substances on the premises. Additionally, patients referred to recovery residences must also be referred into licensed community housing as part of treatment.
Certified Peer Specialist Gateway Pilot Program. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-286, Laws of Florida, which creates the Certified Peer Specialist Gateway Pilot Program within the Department of Corrections, the purpose of which is to recruit and enroll qualified graduates of the program into approved certified peer specialist training programs. The program will provide training and on-the-job experience for peer specialist certification, assist in completion of exams required to become a certified peer specialist, and will assist participants in obtaining employment upon release from incarceration.
Opioid Abatement. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-184, Laws of Florida, which creates the Statewide Council on Opioid Abatement within the Department of Children and Families to enhance the development and coordination of state and local efforts to abate the opioid epidemic and to support the victims of the opioid crisis and their families. The law allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense emergency opioid antagonists, including those that are delivered through a prefilled injection device delivery system. The law also requires each Florida College System institution and state university to store a supply of emergency opioid antagonists in each residence hall or dormitory residence owned or operated by the institution, which must be easily accessible to campus law enforcement officers who are trained in their administration.
State Opioid Settlement Trust Fund. The 2023 Florida Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-265, Laws of Florida, which creates the State Opioid Settlement Trust Fund within the Department of Children and Families to abate the opioid epidemic in accordance with the settlement agreements reached by the state in opioid-related litigation or bankruptcy proceedings.
The Acute Care Services Utilization Database Meets Statutory Requirements; Limitations Exist for Certain Types of Analyses, Report 19-12, November 2019 |
Other Reports
The Auditor General reports on department operations are located on its website
Websites of Interest
Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Department of Children and Families, Get Help
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Mental Health
Performance Information
Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.
Planning and Performance Measures report the department's performance on external and internal measures for its various programs. The measures allow the user to view performance at both a statewide and geographic region level.