SB 1442 — Pregnancy Support Services

Florida Senate - 2024 CS for SB 1442 By Senatorthe GrallAppropriations 29-00938C-24Committee 20241442__on AHealth billand toHuman beServices; entitled An act relating to pregnancy support services;

and Senator Grall 603-03306-24 20241442c1 A bill to be entitled An act relating to pregnancy support services;

381.97,414.1611, F.S.;

providingestablishing legislativethe intent;Florida State Maternity Housing Grant Program within the Department of Children and Families for a specified purpose;

establishingproviding thespecifications Floridafor Statesources Maternityof, Housingand Grantlimitations Programon, withinfunding for the Departmentprogram; of Health;

requiring the programState Office of Homelessness administering the grant funds to providerank grant applicants competitively and give preference to certain resources;grant applicants;

requiringspecifying theeligibility departmentcriteria tofor uselead grantagencies fundsapplying for specifiedgrants expenses;under the program;

providingspecifying arequirements limitationfor onlead theagencies amountthat ofreceive grants awarded under the program;

specifying expenses for which grant funds may be used;

requiring lead agencies to track, monitor, and report on each woman or family assisted with the grant funds for a specified timeframe;

specifying performance goals for lead agencies administering grant funds;

Section 381.97,414.1611, Florida Statutes, is created to read:

381.97414.1611 Florida State Maternity Housing Grant Program.— (1) ItESTABLISHMENT isOF thePROGRAM.—There intentis ofcreated the LegislatureFlorida toState provideMaternity housingHousing resourcesGrant forProgram residentwithin women and families experiencing homelessness during the prenataldepartment period,to regardlessprovide ofhousing ageresources orand maritalapproved status,living whosearrangements financialfor resourcesPage have1 beenof determined3 inadequateCODING: to meet residential costs.

(2) There is created within the department the Florida State Maternity Housing Grant Program to provide approved living arrangements for residents experiencing homelessness during the prenatal period.

(3) The grant program shall provide resources for approved persons to reside in an alternative living arrangement for a period not to exceed 8 months, which includes a maximum of 6 Page 1 of 2 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2024 CS for SB 1442 29-00938C-24603-03306-24 20241442__20241442c1 weeksresident women and families of postpartumthis care.state experiencing homelessness during pregnancy, regardless of age or marital status, whose financial resources have been determined inadequate to meet residential costs.

(4) The departmentState shallOffice useon grantHomelessness, fundswith specificallythe appropriatedconcurrence forof the grantCouncil programon Homelessness, may accept and administer funds appropriated to coverthe expensesdepartment relatedto provide maternity housing grants annually to anylead agencies for local homeless assistance continuums of care, as recognized by the following:State Office on Homelessness.

(a)These Housingfunds inshall anconsist authorizedof livingany arrangementsums forthat athe periodstate ofmay timeappropriate, determinedas bywell theas mother’sthose estimatedreceived deliveryfrom date.donations, gifts, bequests, or otherwise from any public or private source which are intended to assist women and families experiencing homelessness during pregnancy.

(b)The Servicestotal recommendedamount byof thegrants departmentawarded formay womennot andexceed familiesthe approvedfunding appropriated or received for the grant program tounder encouragethis economicsection. independence and positive health outcomes for participants.

(2) GRANT APPLICATIONS.—The State Office on Homelessness shall rank lead agency grant applicants competitively and give preference to applicants that leverage additional private and public funds, demonstrate the effectiveness of their maternity housing programs in housing homeless women and families experiencing pregnancy, and demonstrate the commitment of the lead agency to offer other assistance and services to address family health, employment, and education needs to prevent future homelessness.

(3) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to qualify for a grant, a lead agency must develop and implement a local homeless assistance continuum of care plan for its designated catchment area, to include a maternity housing program.

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Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

Florida Senate - 2024 CS for SB 1442 603-03306-24 20241442c1 (4) GRANT LIMITS.—The maternity housing program funded by the grant must require a case plan for each woman or family to be assisted, setting forth which costs will be covered and the maximum level of assistance to be offered.

The grant assistance may be used to pay for expenses related to any of the following:

(a) Housing in an authorized living arrangement.

Housing assistance may be provided for a maximum of 8 months, of which 8 weeks may be postpartum.

(b) Services recommended by the lead agency for women and families approved for the grant program to encourage economic independence and positive health outcomes for participants.

(d) All other related costs for the administration of the program, not to exceed five5 percent of the total grant funds.funds awarded to the lead agency.

(5) ThePERFORMANCE.—The totallead amountagency ofshall grantstrack, awardedmonitor, mayand notreport exceedon theeach fundingwoman appropriatedor family assisted for at least 12 months after the grantlast program.assistance provided.

(6) The departmentlead mayagency’s adoptmaternity ruleshousing necessaryprogram shall seek to administerenable at least 85 percent of the program.women and families assisted to avoid becoming homeless during this time period.

The(6) rulesRULEMAKING AUTHORITY.—The department may include,adopt butrules neednecessary notto beadminister limitedthe to:program.

(a)The Arules frameworkmay forinclude, thebut paymentneed ornot reimbursementbe oflimited fundsto, toeligibility thecriteria mother for authorizedhomeless livingmothers arrangements.and families experiencing pregnancy who are seeking maternity housing services.

(b) Eligibility criteria for pregnant mothers and expecting families seeking maternity housing services, including a sliding fee scale for participants.

(c) Requirements for maternity housing grant program applications.

(d) Guidelines for assessing the appropriateness of authorized living arrangements and for a determination of approval for authorized living arrangements.

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