Title: Decreasing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Summary: Revising priority areas for project proposals under the Closing the Gap grant program to include those addressing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to mental health and substance use disorders; requiring priority be given to proposals for areas with the greatest documented racial and ethnic disparities in the provision of mental health and substance abuse services, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in mental health and substance abuse services; amending s. 381.7355, F.S.; revising priority areas for project proposals under the Closing the Gap grant program to include those addressing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to mental health and substance use disorders; requiring priority be given to proposals for areas with the greatest documented racial and ethnic disparities in the provision of mental health and substance abuse services; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Present paragraphs (b) through (i) of subsection (3) of section 381.7355, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as paragraphs (c) through (j), respectively, a new paragraph (b) is added to that subsection, and paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of that section is amended, to read: 381.7355 Project requirements; review criteria.  (2) A proposal must include each of the following elements: (a) The purpose and objectives of the proposal, including identification of the particular racial or ethnic disparity the project will address. The proposal must address one or more of the following priority areas: 1. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and infant mortality rates. 2. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity rates and other maternal health outcomes. 3. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to cancer. 4. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to HIV/AIDS. 5. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to cardiovascular disease. 6. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to diabetes. 7. Increasing adult and child immunization rates in certain racial and ethnic populations. 8. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in oral health care. 9. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to sickle cell disease. 10. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to Lupus. 11. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to Alzheimer s disease and dementia. 12.  Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to mental health and substance use disorders. 13.  Improving neighborhood social determinants of health, such as transportation, safety, and food access, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s  Tools for Putting Social Determinants of Health into Action.  (3) Priority shall be given to proposals that: (b)   Represent areas with the greatest documented racial and ethnic disparities in the provision of mental health and substance abuse services. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.