Healthcare (Substance Abuse)

Recovery Residences; Requiring the Department of Children and Families to require only a level 2 background screening for certain individuals under certain circumstances; prohibiting the department from requiring certain existing licensed service providers to admit individuals for services during the probationary licensing period if certain requirements and conditions are met, etc.

HB 477 revises Florida's definition of "drug paraphernalia" to exclude specific testing products like fentanyl test strips and reagent kits. These products, which identify dangerous substances such as fentanyl, xylazine, cocaine, or amphetamines, are now explicitly exempt from being classified as drug paraphernalia. The bill excludes only products used solely to detect presence - not quantity or potency - and aims to support harm reduction by enabling users to avoid lethal substances. This change directly affects Floridians who use these testing tools to prevent overdoses, aligning with legislative findings on the opioid crisis.

Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death; Removes provision precluding certain persons from recovering damages for medical negligence resulting in death.

Parental Rights; Requires parental consent for minor's treatment for certain diseases; revises informed consent requirements; requires consent from parent or guardian for certain services provided by mobile response team; revises responsibility for cost of substance abuse services, confidentiality requirements, & requirements for voluntary admission for substance abuse impairment services; requires school district to provide parents with specified information before district administers certain questionnaires or forms to students; requires school district to give parent opportunity to opt his or her student out of such questionnaire or form; revises exceptions for certain parental rights; creates parental right to review, inspect, & consent to survey or questionnaire provided to parent's minor child; creates parental right to know certain information about survey or questionnaire at time of consent; creates parental right to consent in writing to use of biofeedback device on parent's minor child; defines "biofeedback device"; requires that results from use of such device be provided to parent; requires that such results be held as confidential medical record; revises exceptions for specified requirements of parental consent.

HB 407, titled the "Connecting to Care Act," authorizes pharmacists in Florida to administer specific medications under certain conditions. It expands pharmacists' roles by allowing them to deliver long-acting antipsychotics or opiate addiction treatments via injection, following physician-established protocols, after completing an 8-hour training course. Pharmacists must work within licensed facilities with privacy for injections, maintain separate prescriptions per dose, and adhere to safety protocols. This directly affects pharmacists, healthcare facilities, and patients receiving medication-assisted treatment for behavioral health conditions.