Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder
Mission of the Commission
As provided by Section 394.9086, Florida Statutes, the Commission on Mental health and Substance Use Disorder (Commission) was created in 2021 and ratified in 2023 by the Florida Legislature to examine the current methods of providing mental health and substance use disorder services in the state and to improve the effectiveness of current practices, procedures, programs, and initiatives in providing such services; identify any barriers or deficiencies in the delivery of such services; assess the adequacy of the current infrastructure of Florida’s 988 suicide and Crisis Lifeline system and other components of the state’s crisis response services; and recommend changes to existing laws, rules, and policies necessary to implement the Commission’s recommendations. The Commission meets upon the call of the chair via teleconference or in-person.
Message From the Chair
Subcommittees
System of Care
As directed by the Legislature, this sub-committee will conduct a review and evaluation of the management and functioning of the existing publicly supported mental health and substance use systems and services in the Department of Children and Families, the Agency for Health Care Administration, and all other departments which administer mental health and substance use disorder abuse services. Such review shall include, at a minimum, a review of current goals and objectives, current planning, services strategies, coordination management, purchasing, contracting, financing, local government funding responsibility, and accountability mechanisms, identify any gaps in the provision of mental health and substance use disorder services. This review will make recommendations regarding the mission and objectives of state-supported mental health and substance use disorder abuse services and the planning, management, staffing, financing, contracting, coordination, and accountability, mechanisms which will best foster the recommended mission; evaluate and make recommendations regarding the establishment of a permanent, agency-level entity to manage mental health, substance use disorder abuse, and related services statewide; consider the unique needs of persons who are dually diagnosed; Evaluate and make recommendations regarding skills-based training that teaches participants about mental health and substance use issues, including, but not limited to, mental health first aid models; Give particular attention to crisis treatment services in the community including mobile response teams and central receiving facilities, and extending to the full system of care, including possibilities for service and administrative integration and community prevention efforts.
Children and Youth Behavioral Health
As directed by the Legislature, this sub-committee will address priority population groups (children and youth) for publicly funded mental health and substance use disorder abuse services, identifying the comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder abuse services delivery systems, mental health and substance use disorder abuse needs assessment and planning activities, and local government funding responsibilities for mental health and substance use disorder abuse services for children and youth.
Access to Care Subcommittee
As directed by the Legislature, this Sub-Committee will identify barriers in the delivery of services and assess the adequacy of the current infrastructure of the 988 Florida Suicide & Crisis Lifeline system. Additionally, this subcommittee will consider ways in which the current delivery of behavioral health care might be enhanced by addressing any barriers to service utilization and access created by stigma or public fear of seeking behavioral health, and public confusion of available service choice. This subcommittee will examine solutions to those obstacles such as marketing campaigns to promote available behavioral health resources and other options besides law enforcement transport for clients moved under the Baker and Marchman Acts.
Data Analysis
As directed by the Legislature, this sub-committee will review data collection, reporting mechanisms, and other data resources related to behavioral health across all available data sets and make recommendations for the development of a searchable statewide behavioral health data repository in order to address the quality and effectiveness of current mental health and substance use disorder abuse services delivery systems, identify gaps in delivery systems as well as recommendations for promising practices and data-based goals for and of current behavioral health systems.
Finance and Workforce
As directed by the Legislature, this subcommittee will Conduct a review and evaluation of the financial management and funding of the existing publicly supported mental health and substance use disorder abuse systems and services in the Department of Children and Families, the Agency for Health Care Administration, and all other departments which administer mental health and substance use disorder abuse services, and make recommendations for optimal purchasing, contracting, financing, local government funding responsibility, and accountability mechanisms. In addition, this subcommittee will review and make recommendations regarding the mission and objectives of state-supported mental health and substance use disorder abuse services and the staffing mechanisms which will best foster the recommended mission. This Subcommittee will review the current behavioral health workforce in Florida and make recommendations for optimizing that workforce.