Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Progress Report: DCF Implements Recommendations, But Some Delays Still Occurring in Residential Mental Health Assessment Process

Report 04-67, August 2004




Report Summary

  • The Department of Children and Families and the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) have taken steps to improve the process used to assess children for residential mental health placements, as recommended by our 2003 report. The department required districts to report reasons for assessment delays and take corrective actions, and it has clarified roles and timeframes for these assessments. In addition, AHCA's contractor for assessment services is now tracking and following up on children who fail to appear at assessments.
  • However, some delays are still occurring and the contractor is meeting only one of its three timeliness performance standards. Primary reasons for these delays are changes in department policy that increased assessment workload and new judicial rules that require children to be represented by an appointed guardian ad litem and create the potential for additional hearings. The department, AHCA, and the contractor are working to address these delays.


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Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
social services, health, child abuse, dependent children, children's mental health, residential treatment, qualified evalutors, agency for health care administration, dependent, department of children and families, assessments