The following documents are attachments to the 2008 Dept of ...

program) be combined into one locally administered homeless prevention grant. Noadditional funding would be necessary to implement the new program and there would bea savings of $200,000 or more per year in state administrative costs. This proposal wouldrequire revision of the authorizing statute in Section 414.16 to convert the stateadministered direct assistance program into a local grant program.• Summary Guardianship Proceedings for the Mentally Ill: Amendment to F.S. 394Mental Health Statute to incorporate summary guardianship proceedings for the mentallyill, in order to (1) expand beyond the temporary, intermittent and under used provisionsof the existing guardian advocacy provisions, to (2) eliminate or reduce the costs(attorney and filing fees and procedural costs) and the rigorous reporting requirements offormal guardianship for this sector of the population, which is faced with indigency,burgeoning treatment needs, an incapacity to understand those needs and a dearth ofagencies and individuals who are willing to assist the mentally ill in meeting their specialneeds for education, medical, and mental health treatment, application for governmentbenefits, and management of their benefits.6. Commission on Open Government. Statutory revisions necessary to implement therecommendation of the Commission on Open Government.• Facilitate Release of Child Abuse Investigation Records. Allows for public release ofchild abuse investigation records where abuse, neglect, or abandonment has beenverified. The amendment would require that information that would identify the victimor any other minor named in the report to remain confidential.• Release of Records to Former Foster Care Clients. Provides a clear process forformer foster care clients to follow when denied access to their own records.• Sharing information with Community-Based Care Agencies. Clarifies that CBC's andtheir subcontracted providers are to have access to records relating investigation of childabuse, abandonment, and neglect and to ensure that CBC's and their subcontractors sharethese records with any other individual who is entitled to access.• Facilitate Release of Adult Abuse Investigation Records. Gives the Departmentgreater authority to release adult investigation records where abuse, neglect, orabandonment has been verified.• Release of Records to Adult Services Clients and/or their Guardian, Caregiver, orLegal Council. Provides a clear process for vulnerable adults, and/or their guardian,caregiver, or legal counsel to follow when denied access to their own records.• Information-Sharing Between Agencies. Creates a general law relating to informationsharingbetween agencies.22 Updated January 17, 2008