THE BILL ITSELF
SB 1132
Procedures for Discharging Persons to Avoid Homelessness
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1132 By Senator Rouson 16-00991B-26 20261132__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to procedures for discharging persons
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to avoid homelessness; providing a short title;
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amending s. 420.626, F.S.; revising legislative
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intent; encouraging certain facilities and
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institutions, in collaboration with a continuum of
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care lead agency, to develop and implement certain
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procedures for when persons are discharged from
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certain facilities or institutions; requiring the
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Department of Children and Families to conduct a pilot
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program in specified counties; requiring the
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department to submit certain quarterly and, beginning
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on a specified date, annual reports to the Governor
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and the Legislature; revising certain procedures;
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defining the term “client-level data”; requiring the
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sharing of client-level data to comply with specified
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state and federal laws and regulations; requiring a
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continuum of care lead agency to evaluate certain
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procedures and identify gaps and opportunities for
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improvement in its annual continuum of care plan;
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authorizing the State Office on Homelessness, in
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conjunction with the Council on Homelessness, to
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provide guidance to a continuum of care lead agency
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for a specified purpose; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Bridging Systems
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to Housing Act.”
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Section 2. Section 420.626, Florida Statutes, is amended to
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read:
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420.626 Homelessness; discharge guidelines.—
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(1) It is the intent of the Legislature , to encourage
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mental health facilities or institutions under contract with,
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operated, licensed, or regulated by the state and local
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governments to ensure , to the extent practicable, that persons
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leaving the their care or custody of hospitals and other
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facilities and institutions under contract with, operated by,
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licensed by, or regulated by the state and local governments are
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not discharged into homelessness without connecting such persons
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to the continuum of care .
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(2) The following facilities and institutions , in
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collaboration with the continuum of care lead agency in the
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facility’s or institution’s catchment area, are encouraged to
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develop and implement procedures as provided under subsection
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(4) which are designed to reduce the discharge of persons into
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homelessness when such persons are admitted or housed for more
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than 24 hours at such facilities or institutions: hospitals and
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inpatient medical facilities not located in a county in which a
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pilot program is conducted under subsection (3) ; crisis
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stabilization units; residential treatment facilities; assisted
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living facilities; and detoxification centers.
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(3) The department shall conduct a pilot program in
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Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, and Pinellas Counties for the
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development and implementation of the procedures required under
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subsection (4) for all hospitals and inpatient medical
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facilities located in those counties.
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(a) Until the pilot program is fully implemented, the
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department must submit to the Governor, the President of the
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Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
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quarterly reports on the status of the pilot program in each
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designated county.
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(b) By November 30, 2027, and annually thereafter, the
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department shall assess and submit a report on the effectiveness
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of the pilot program in each designated county to the Governor,
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the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives.
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(4) (3) The procedures for persons who consent to
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participate in services must should include all of the
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following:
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(a) Development and implementation of an early assessment a
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screening process or other mechanism for identifying persons to
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be discharged from the facility or institution who reported
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being homeless at the time of intake, are at considerable risk
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for homelessness , or face an some imminent threat to their
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health and safety upon discharge.
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(b) Development and implementation of a discharge plan that
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ensures addressing how identified persons are offered a
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transition from the facility or institution to the local
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continuum of care for connection to housing or shelter
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resources, if available, or supportive services will secure
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housing and other needed care and support upon discharge.
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(c) Communication with the entities to whom identified
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persons may potentially be discharged to determine their
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capability to serve such persons and their acceptance of such
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persons into their programs, and selection of the entity
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determined to be best equipped to provide or facilitate the
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provision of suitable care and support. A discharge to an entity
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may only occur during normal operating hours when the receiving
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entity is open to receive the discharged person.
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(d) Coordination of effort and sharing of information with
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entities that are expected to bear the responsibility for
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providing care or support to identified persons upon discharge
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through the following processes:
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1. Enrollment in the Homeless Management Information System
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to collect and share client-level data in order to gain an
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understanding of an identified person’s characteristics,
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eligibility, and needs for housing and related services; or
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2. With an identified person’s consent, development and
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implementation of a process or mechanism to share client-level
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data regarding a person’s medical and mental health needs
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outside of the Homeless Management Information System .
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As used in this paragraph, the term “client-level data” means
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detailed, individual-level information regarding the housing and
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other relevant needs, such as mental health support, of a person
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being discharged from a facility or institution. Client-level
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data sharing is used to ensure the timely, continuous, and
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coordinated delivery of housing-related services and supports
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after an identified person is stabilized and before the person
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is released from the facility or institution. The sharing of
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client-level data must comply with federal and state privacy and
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confidentiality laws and regulations.
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(e) Provision of sufficient medication, medical equipment
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and supplies, clothing, transportation, and other basic
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resources necessary to ensure that the health and well-being of
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identified persons are not jeopardized upon their discharge.
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(f) Development and implementation of a process for
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facilities and institutions to verify in the Homeless Management
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Information System whether a person is registered with the
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continuum of care and, if so, the entry of a referral in the
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Homeless Management Information System for such person. If a
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person is identified at intake as homeless or is at considerable
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risk of homelessness upon discharge, but the person is not
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registered in the Homeless Management Information System, the
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facility or institution must ensure such person contacts the 211
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call center or other local nonemergency service referral hotline
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to facilitate registration in the Homeless Management
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Information System in order to receive a referral to the
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continuum of care’s coordinated entry system.
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(g) Provision of information, such as a website or other
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resource guides if available, to identified persons regarding
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resource availability through the 211 call center, any other
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local nonemergency service referral hotline, or the continuum of
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care.
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(5) The continuum of care lead agency shall evaluate the
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procedures developed and implemented under subsection (4) and
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identify gaps and opportunities for improvement in its annual
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continuum of care plan submitted to the State Office on
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Homelessness. The State Office on Homelessness, in conjunction
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with the Council on Homelessness, may provide the continuum of
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care lead agency guidance to address ongoing gaps in services to
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strengthen local discharge planning practices.
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(6) (4) This section is intended only to recommend model
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guidelines and procedures that mental health facilities or
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institutions under contract with or operated, licensed, or
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regulated by the state or local governments may consider when
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discharging persons into the community. This section is not an
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entitlement, and no cause of action shall arise against the
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state, the local government entity, or any other political
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subdivision of this state for failure to follow any of the
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procedures or provide any of the services suggested under this
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section.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.