THE BILL ITSELF
HB 897
Community Rehabilitation Programs
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to community rehabilitation programs;
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amending s. 413.014, F.S.; providing minimum standards
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a community rehabilitation program must meet to
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qualify to enter into a cooperative agreement with the
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Division of Blind Services to provide certain
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services; authorizing the director of the division to
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temporarily waive certain requirements for certain
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purposes; providing that a community rehabilitation
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program that meets specified requirements is
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considered a priority service provider for purposes of
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program funding; authorizing the division to enter
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into a cooperative agreement with a noncommunity
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rehabilitation program private vendor under certain
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circumstances; providing requirements for such
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cooperative agreement; requiring the Florida
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Association of Agencies Serving the Blind, Inc., to
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coordinate with the division to ensure cooperative
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agreements meet certain needs; providing for funding;
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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. Section 413.014, Florida Statutes, is amended
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to read:
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413.014 Community rehabilitation programs.—
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(1) The Division of Blind Services shall enter into
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cooperative agreements with community rehabilitation programs as
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defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, to be the
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service providers for the blind citizens of their communities.
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(2) The division shall, as rapidly as feasible, increase
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the amount of such services provided by community rehabilitation
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programs under subsection (3). The goal shall be to decrease the
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amount of such services provided by division employees and to
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increase to the maximum extent allowed by federal law the amount
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of such services provided through cooperative agreements with
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community service providers. The division shall seek, to the
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maximum extent allowed by federal and state law and regulation,
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all available federal funds for such purposes. Funds and in-kind
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matching contributions from community and private sources shall
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be used to maximize federal funds. Unless prohibited by federal
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law or regulation, the share of the federal vocational
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rehabilitation grant apportioned for services to the blind may
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not be less than 17 percent.
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(3) A community rehabilitation program must meet all of
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the following requirements to enter into a cooperative agreement
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with the division to provide services to persons who are blind
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or visually impaired:
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(a) Be a qualified nonprofit agency for the blind as
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defined in s. 413.033(3) and be organized and operated
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exclusively for charitable purposes under s. 501(c)(3) of the
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Internal Revenue Code or be an approved program at a state
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college or university.
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(b) Maintain current accreditation from at least one of
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the following national accrediting organizations:
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1. The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation
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Facilities.
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2. The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the
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Blind and Visually Impaired.
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3. Any other nationally recognized accrediting body for
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vision rehabilitation services as determined by the director of
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the division.
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(c) Employ staff who hold current, valid certification
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from at least one of the following:
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1. The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation
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and Education Professionals.
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2. The National Blindness Professional Certification
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Board.
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3. Any other nationally recognized certifying body for
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vision rehabilitation professionals as determined by the
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director of the division.
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(d) Provide services required under the cooperative
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agreement by the division, including, but not limited to, the
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following:
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1. Activities of daily living.
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2. Assessments.
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3. Assistive technology training.
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4. Guidance and career counseling.
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5. Communication skills training.
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6. Community integration.
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7. Counseling.
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8. Low vision training.
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9. Orientation and mobility training.
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10. Preemployment transition services, including, but not
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limited to, career coaching, development, and placement;
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workplace readiness; personal assistance; vocational
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rehabilitation; technology training; and transportation
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services.
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11. Recreation and leisure activities training.
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12. Self-advocacy training.
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13. Sensory and cognitive development.
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14. Other services as determined by the director of the
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division as may be required by state and federal guidelines.
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The director of the division may temporarily waive staff
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requirements and community rehabilitation program requirements
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under this subsection for approval of new community
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rehabilitation program organizations.
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(4)(a) A community rehabilitation program that meets the
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requirements in subsection (3) is a priority service provider
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for purposes of program funding. In addition to the requirements
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in subsection (3), the community rehabilitation program shall be
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qualified, accredited, and certified with evidence-supported
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outcomes aligned with the federal Rehabilitation Services
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Administration performance indicators for services to persons
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who are blind or visually impaired to ensure quality, safety,
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accountability, and sustainability.
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(b) In the event a community rehabilitation program is
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unable to provide services to a specific client for reasons
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including client choice, suspension of services, capacity, or
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timeliness, the division may enter into a cooperative agreement
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for services with a noncommunity rehabilitation program private
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vendor. The noncommunity rehabilitation program private vendor
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must meet the requirements in subsection (3) and comply with all
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requirements provided in the community rehabilitation program
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cooperative agreement to ensure quality, safety, accountability,
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and sustainability. If the division enters into a cooperative
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agreement with a noncommunity rehabilitation program private
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vendor to provide services, the community rehabilitation program
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serving that same geographic area must be notified by the
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division of the name of the private vendor to ensure that the
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client receives the same level of high-quality service offered
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by the community rehabilitation program.
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(5) The Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind,
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Inc., shall coordinate with the division to ensure cooperative
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agreements for services meet the needs of blind and visually
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impaired clients served by community rehabilitation program
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member organizations and act on behalf of such clients on
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cooperative agreement issues or other issues in the best
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interest of serving the clients.
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(6) As authorized by and consistent with funding
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appropriated in the General Appropriations Act, the Florida
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Association of Agencies Serving the Blind, Inc., may submit
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requests to the Legislature for funding for community
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rehabilitation programs from the funds available as provided in
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the General Appropriations Act. The division shall disperse
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these funds to community rehabilitation programs that are
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considered priority service providers under paragraph (4)(a)
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within 45 days after receipt of a qualified invoice from a
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community rehabilitation program with subsequent monthly
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payments thereafter.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.