SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

HB 155

Mental Health Programs for Gun Violence Prevention

VERSION H 155 Filed · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to mental health programs for gun
3 violence prevention; creating s. 394.4997, F.S.;
4 providing legislative findings and intent; requiring
5 IMPACT GNV of the City of Gainesville, in
6 collaboration with certain entities, to develop and
7 implement the Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program;
8 providing eligibility and program requirements;
9 providing alternatives to incarceration for specified
10 youth; providing for referrals to specified programs;
11 requiring the City of Gainesville, in collaboration
12 with Alachua County, to annually submit a specified
13 report to IMPACT GNV by a specified date; requiring
14 IMPACT GNV to report specified information to the
15 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date;
16 providing for future repeal of the pilot program;
17 providing for an appropriation; providing an effective
18 date.
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22 Section 1. Section 394.4997, Florida Statutes, is created
23 to read:
24 394.4997 Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program.—
25 (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—The Legislature finds
26 that persons under 21 years of age in this state are
27 disproportionately affected by gun violence, which has
28 significant adverse effects on the health, safety, and well-
29 being of persons under 21 years of age. Further, the Legislature
30 finds that mental health challenges and unresolved conflicts are
31 contributing factors to the prevalence of gun violence and that
32 there is a need for targeted mental health and conflict
33 resolution education programs to assist persons under 21 years
34 of age in mitigating these issues. It is the intent of the
35 Legislature to establish programs that provide mental health
36 services tailored to the needs of persons under 21 years of age,
37 implement conflict resolution training in schools and community
38 centers to prevent violence, and fund community-based
39 initiatives that address the root causes of gun violence among
40 persons under 21 years of age.
41 (2) CREATION.—
42 (a) IMPACT GNV of the City of Gainesville shall develop
43 and implement a Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program in the
44 City of Gainesville, in collaboration with the Department of
45 Juvenile Justice, the state attorney, and the public defender of
46 the eighth judicial circuit.
47 (b) The Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program shall
48 provide mental health services, community-based intervention
49 programs, conflict resolution training, and alternative
50 opportunities.
51 (c) IMPACT GNV shall design the pilot program to align
52 with and complement existing efforts in the City of Gainesville
53 to address gun violence among youth and young adults. IMPACT GNV
54 shall, at a minimum, consult with stakeholders before and during
55 implementation of the pilot program.
56 (3) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to become an eligible program
57 participant, he or she must be:
58 (a) A person who is at least 10 to 21 years of age, who is
59 at moderate or high risk of being:
60 1. A victim of gun violence;
61 2. An offender who has inflicted bodily harm or death; or
62 3. An individual returning to the community from a
63 delinquency residential program.
64 (b) A family member of a person eligible under paragraph
65 (a).
66 (4) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—The program shall:
67 (a) Provide program participants with access to mental
68 health services, including, but not limited to, all of the
69 following:
70 1. Individual therapy sessions with qualified
71 professionals or mental health counselors to address personal
72 mental health issues.
73 2. Facilitated group therapy sessions to provide peer
74 support and shared experiences.
75 3. Family therapy sessions involving family members to
76 address familial issues contributing to mental health problems.
77 4. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for
78 participants who have experienced trauma.
79 5. Art and music therapies to help participants express
80 emotions and cope with stress.
81 6. Substance abuse treatment programs addressing substance
82 abuse issues that may contribute to violent behavior.
83 7. Mediation training.
84 8. Restoration of relationships.
85 9. Resilience and leadership skills.
86 (b) In collaboration with the Department of Juvenile
87 Justice, the state attorney, and the public defender for the
88 eighth judicial circuit, provide program participants who are
89 involved with the delinquency system or on probation with
90 opportunities to obtain:
91 1. A graduate equivalency degree.
92 2. Job training, skills development, or an apprenticeship.
93 3. Employment at high-risk or critical need positions.
94 (5) REFERRAL.—
95 (a) The public defender's office will receive referrals to
96 the dependency program.
97 (b) The state attorney's office will receive referrals to
98 the diversion program under part III of chapter 985.
99 (c) The Department of Juvenile Justice will receive
100 referrals to the class for firearm offenders under s.
101 985.601(11).
102 (6) REPORTS.-
103 (a) Beginning October 31, 2027, and annually thereafter,
104 the City of Gainesville, in collaboration with Alachua County,
105 shall report to IMPACT GNV and the Department of Juvenile
106 Justice the number of participants in the pilot program; data on
107 the impact on the rate of gun violence among individuals within
108 the age group and geographic area served by the program; data on
109 risk factors for gun violence in the geographic area served by
110 the program; feedback from program participants; and
111 recommendations for improvement and expansion of services based
112 on the results of the pilot program.
113 (b) IMPACT GNV shall report to the Governor, the Speaker
114 of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate
115 by December 31 of each year on the implementation and
116 performance of the program.
117 (7) REPEAL.—This section will expire on June 30, 2030.
118 Section 2. For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the sum of
119 $500,000 is appropriated in nonrecurring funds from the General
120 Revenue Fund to the Department of Children and Families for the
121 purpose of implementing this act.
122 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.