Florida · statute · Fla. Stat. ch. 154 · 62 active provisions
It is the intent of the Legislature to promote, protect, maintain, and improve the health and safety of all citizens and visitors of this state through a system of coordinated county health department services. The Legislature recognizes the unique partnership which necessarily exists between the state and its counties…
(1) The several counties of the state may cooperate with the Department of Health in the establishment and maintenance of full-time county health departments in such counties for the promotion of the public’s health, the control and eradication of preventable diseases, and the provision of primary health care for speci…
(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that all 67 counties offer primary care services through contracts, as required by s. 154.01(3), for Medicaid recipients and other qualified low-income persons. Therefore, the Department of Health is directed, to the extent that funds are appropriated, to develop a plan to implem…
(1) The health department in every county in this state, or its designee, shall participate in the sexual assault response team coordinated by the certified rape crisis center serving the county or region, if such sexual assault response team exists. If a sexual assault response team does not exist in the county, the c…
(1) To enable counties to provide public health services and maintain public health equipment and facilities, each county in the state with a population exceeding 100,000, according to the last state census, may levy an annual tax not exceeding 0.5 mill; each county in the state with a population exceeding 40,000 and n…
(1) The county commissioners of any county may agree with the Department of Health upon the expenditure by the department in such county of any funds allotted for that purpose by the department or received by it for such purposes from private contributions or other sources, and such funds shall be paid to the Chief Fin…
(1)(a) The personnel of a minimum county health department shall consist of a county health department director or administrator and a full-time public health nurse, a public health environmental specialist, and a clerk. All such personnel shall be selected from those especially trained in public health administration…
Counties may establish cooperative arrangements for shared county health departments in the following ways:(1) Two or more counties may combine in the establishment and maintenance of a single full-time county health department for the counties which combine for that purpose; and, pursuant to such combination or agreem…
(1) The Department of Health may establish by rule fee schedules for public health services rendered through the county health departments. Such rules may include provisions for fee assessments, copayments, sliding fee scales, fee waivers, and fee exemptions. In addition, the department shall adopt by rule a uniform st…
The Department of Health shall adopt a rule requiring every county health department, as described in s. 154.01, to adopt a protocol that, at a minimum, requires the county health department to:(1) Incorporate in its health department policy a policy that every staff member has an affirmative duty to report, pursuant t…
There may be created in and for each county of the state a public body corporate and politic, to be known as the “public health trust” of such county, for the purpose of exercising the powers described herein with respect to “designated facilities” as that term is hereinafter defined. No trust created hereunder shall t…
(1) The board of trustees of each public health trust is authorized to become the operator of, and governing body for, any designated facility. The term “designated facility” shall mean any county-owned or county-operated facility used in connection with the delivery of health care, the operation, governance, or mainte…
(1) The governing body of each public health trust shall be a board of trustees consisting of not less than 7 nor more than 21 members, to be appointed for staggered terms of not more than 4 years by the governing body of the county in which such trust is located from among the residents of the county in a manner to be…
At such time as the governing body of a county shall declare the need for a public health trust to function in such county, appoint a board of trustees, and designate health care facilities pursuant to the provisions of this part, said governing body shall be authorized to transfer to the public health trust any or all…
(1) The board of trustees of each public health trust shall be deemed to exercise a public and essential governmental function of both the state and the county and in furtherance thereof it shall, subject to limitation by the governing body of the county in which such board is located, have all of the powers necessary…
(1) Employees of a public health trust created pursuant to this part shall be considered to come within the terms of chapter 122 for purposes of inclusion in the State and County Officers and Employees’ Retirement System and within the terms of chapter 121, for purposes of inclusion in the Florida Retirement System.(2)…
Any designated facility owned or operated by a public health trust and located within the boundaries of a municipality is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the county creating the public health trust and is not within the jurisdiction of the municipality.
This part shall be known and cited as the “Health Facilities Authorities Law.”
It is declared that for the benefit of the people of this state, the increase of their commerce, welfare, and prosperity, and the improvement of their health and living conditions it is essential that the people of this state have access to adequate medical care and health facilities and that it is essential that healt…
The following terms, whenever used in this part, shall have the following meanings unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:(1) “Areawide council” means an advisory comprehensive health planning council, as described and approved under all pertinent federal and state laws and rules and regulations.(2…
(1) In each local agency there may be created a public body corporate and politic to be known as the “ (name of local agency) Health Facilities Authority.” Each of said authorities shall be constituted as a public instrumentality, and the exercise by an authority of the powers conferred by this part shall be deemed and…
The purpose of the authority shall be to assist health facilities in the acquisition, construction, financing, and refinancing of projects in any incorporated or unincorporated area within the geographical limits of the local agency. For this purpose, the authority is authorized and empowered:(1) To adopt an official s…
All expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this part shall be payable solely from funds provided under the provisions of this part, and no liability or obligation shall be incurred by an authority, a local agency, or the state hereunder beyond the extent to which moneys shall have been provided under the p…
In undertaking any project pursuant to this part, the authority shall first obtain a valid certificate of need evidencing need for the project and a statement that the project serves a public purpose by advancing the commerce, welfare, and prosperity of the local agency and its people. A project financed under this par…
Contracts for the construction of any project shall be awarded by the authority upon a competitive or negotiated basis, as it determines will most effectively serve the purposes of this part. The authority may, by written contract, engage the services of the lessee or prospective lessee of any project in the constructi…