Fla. Stat. § 394.875 — Florida Code / Title XXIX / Chapter 394 / Part IV / Section 394.875
394.875 Crisis stabilization units, residential treatment facilities, and residential treatment centers for children and adolescents; authorized services; license required.
Status: in_force

(1)(a) The purpose of a crisis stabilization unit is to stabilize and redirect a client to the most appropriate and least restrictive community setting available, consistent with the client’s needs. Crisis stabilization units may screen, assess, and admit for stabilization persons who present themselves to the unit and persons who are brought to the unit under s. 394.463. Clients may be provided 24-hour observation, medication prescribed by a physician, psychiatrist, or psychiatric nurse practicing within the framework of an established protocol with a psychiatrist, and other appropriate services. Crisis stabilization units shall provide services regardless of the client’s ability to pay. (b) The purpose of a residential treatment facility is to be a part of a comprehensive treatment program for mentally ill individuals in a community-based residential setting. (c) The purpose of a residential treatment center for children and adolescents is to provide mental health assessment and treatment services pursuant to ss. 394.491, 394.495, and 394.496 to children and adolescents who meet the target population criteria specified in s. 394.493(1)(a), (b), or (c).

(2) The requirements of part II of chapter 408 apply to the provision of services that require licensure under ss. 394.455-394.903 and part II of chapter 408 and to entities licensed by or applying for such licensure from the Agency for Health Care Administration pursuant to ss. 394.455-394.903. A license issued by the agency is required in order to operate a crisis stabilization unit, a residential treatment facility, or a residential treatment center for children and adolescents, or to act as a crisis stabilization unit, a residential treatment facility, or a residential treatment center for children and adolescents in this state.

(3) The following are exempt from licensure as required in ss. 394.455-394.903: (a) Homes for special services licensed under chapter 400. (b) Nursing homes licensed under chapter 400.

(4) The department, in consultation with the agency, may establish multiple license classifications for residential treatment facilities.

(5) The agency may not issue a license to a crisis stabilization unit unless the unit receives state mental health funds and is affiliated with a designated public receiving facility.

(6) The agency may issue a license for a crisis stabilization unit or short-term residential treatment facility, certifying the number of authorized beds for such facility as indicated by existing need and available appropriations. The agency may disapprove an application for such a license if it determines that a facility should not be licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Any facility operating beds in excess of those authorized by the agency shall, upon demand of the agency, reduce the number of beds to the authorized number, forfeit its license, or provide evidence of a license issued pursuant to chapter 395 for the excess beds.

(7) A children’s crisis stabilization unit which does not exceed 20 licensed beds and which provides separate facilities or a distinct part of a facility, separate staffing, and treatment exclusively for minors may be located on the same premises as a crisis stabilization unit serving adults. The department, in consultation with the agency, shall adopt rules governing facility construction, staffing and licensure requirements, and the operation of such units for minors.

(8)(a) The department, in consultation with the agency, must adopt rules governing a residential treatment center for children and adolescents which specify licensure standards for: admission; length of stay; program and staffing; discharge and discharge planning; treatment planning; seclusion, restraints, and time-out; rights of patients under s. 394.459; use of psychotropic medications; and standards for the operation of such centers. (b) Residential treatment centers for children and adolescents must conspicuously place signs on their premises to warn children and adolescents of the dangers of human trafficking and to encourage the reporting of individuals observed attempting to engage in human trafficking activity. The signs must contain the telephone number for the Florida Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-855-FLA-SAFE, or such other number that the Department of Law Enforcement uses to detect and stop human trafficking. The department, in consultation with the agency, shall specify, at a minimum, the content of the signs by rule.

(9) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (6), crisis stabilization units may not exceed their licensed capacity by more than 10 percent, nor may they exceed their licensed capacity for more than 3 consecutive working days or for more than 7 days in 1 month.

(10) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, any facility licensed under former chapter 396 and chapter 397 for detoxification, residential level I care, and outpatient treatment may elect to license concurrently all of the beds at such facility both for that purpose and as a long-term residential treatment facility pursuant to this section, if all of the following conditions are met: (a) The licensure application is received by the department prior to January 1, 1993. (b) On January 1, 1993, the facility was licensed under former chapter 396 and chapter 397 as a facility for detoxification, residential level I care, and outpatient treatment of substance abuse. (c) The facility restricted its practice to the treatment of law enforcement personnel for a period of at least 12 months beginning after January 1, 1992. (d) The number of beds to be licensed under this chapter is equal to or less than the number of beds licensed under former chapter 396 and chapter 397 as of January 1, 1993. (e) The licensee agrees in writing to a condition placed upon the license that the facility will limit its treatment exclusively to law enforcement personnel and their immediate families who are seeking admission on a voluntary basis and who are exhibiting symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder or other mental health problems, including drug or alcohol abuse, which are directly related to law enforcement work and which are amenable to verbal treatment therapies; the licensee agrees to coordinate the provision of appropriate postresidential care for discharged individuals; and the licensee further agrees in writing that a failure to meet any condition specified in this paragraph shall constitute grounds for a revocation of the facility’s license as a residential treatment facility. (f) The licensee agrees that the facility will meet all licensure requirements for a residential treatment facility, including minimum standards for compliance with lifesafety requirements, except those licensure requirements which are in express conflict with the conditions and other provisions specified in this subsection. (g) The licensee agrees that the conditions stated in this subsection must be agreed to in writing by any person acquiring the facility by any means. Any facility licensed under this subsection is not required to provide any services to any persons except those included in the specified conditions of licensure, and is exempt from any requirements related to the 60-day or greater average length of stay imposed on community-based residential treatment facilities otherwise licensed under this chapter.

(11) The department, in consultation with the agency, shall biennially conduct a review to identify the need for new short-term residential treatment facilities and additional beds in existing short-term residential treatment facilities. If additional funding is necessary to address such need, the department shall submit a legislative budget request for such funding. If the department can address the need within existing resources, the department shall take action to do so.

History: ss. 2, 11, ch. 85-167; s. 1, ch. 90-251; s. 249, ch. 91-224; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 9, ch. 93-247; ss. 27, 71, ch. 98-171; s. 4, ch. 2000-265; ss. 65, 154, ch. 2000-349; s. 25, ch. 2001-53; s. 26, ch. 2001-62; s. 2, ch. 2001-67; s. 148, ch. 2001-277; s. 42, ch. 2004-267; s. 29, ch. 2007-230; s. 77, ch. 2010-5; s. 1, ch. 2011-234; s. 1, ch. 2023-85; s. 11, ch. 2023-273; s. 25, ch. 2024-15; s. 2, ch. 2024-184; s. 17, ch. 2024-245; s. 6, ch. 2025-184.