63T-1.004. Residential Commitment Program

(1) Transition Planning. When developing each youth’s performance plan and throughout its implementation during the youth’s stay, a residential commitment program shall ensure that the intervention and treatment team is planning for the youth’s successful transition to the community upon release from the program. The intervention and treatment team shall intensify its transition planning as the youth nears his or her targeted release date as follows:

(a) Transition Conference. In a program with a length of stay over 90 days, the intervention and treatment team shall conduct a transition conference at least 60 days prior to the youth’s targeted release date or 90 days for sex offenders. In any program with a length of stay of 90 days or less, the exit conference, addressed in paragraph 63T-1.004(1)(b), F.A.C., shall suffice to address all necessary pre-release transition activities.

1. The program director or designee, the intervention and treatment team leader, and the youth shall attend the transition conference. Although the program shall encourage other intervention and treatment team members to attend, those not attending shall provide written input to the team leader prior to the conference. If the youth’s teacher is not an active intervention and treatment team member, the team leader shall invite the teacher to participate in the transition conference; however, if the teacher chooses not to attend, the team leader shall obtain the teacher’s input prior to the conference. Additionally, the program shall invite the youth’s JPO, post-residential services case manager, if different than the JPO, the youth’s parent or guardian, the waiver support coordinator if the youth is an identified client of Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), a Division of Vocational Rehabilitation representative if the youth has a disability as evidenced on his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP), and if applicable, the DCF worker. The program shall encourage invitees’ participation through advanced notifications and reasonable accommodations. However, when arrangements cannot be made for their participation in the transition conference, the intervention and treatment team leader shall request their input and offer an opportunity for them to provide it prior to the conference.

2. During the transition conference, participants shall review transition activities on both the youth’s performance plan and treatment discharge plan, revise them if necessary, and identify additional activities needed when planning for the youth’s transition to the community. An exit portfolio shall be initiated for the youth at this conference. Included in this portfolio will be a state issued Identification card, a calendar with addresses and times for follow-up appointments in the community, and for youth over 15 years of age, a Social Security card, resume and a completed sample job application. Target completion dates and persons responsible for their completion shall be identified during the conference. The intervention and treatment team leader shall obtain conference attendees’ dated signatures, representing their acknowledgement of the transition activities and accountability for their completion pursuant to the youth’s performance plan.

3. In follow-up to the conference, if anyone not in attendance is identified as having responsibility for completing a transition activity, the intervention and treatment team leader shall send him or her a copy of the plan and request its return with a dated signature. In this case, an original signature is not necessary. Electronic transmittal of the plan to the youth’s JPO and, if applicable, the DCF counselor is acceptable. If transmitted electronically, a return email acknowledging receipt and review suffices and shall be printed and filed with the youth’s plan.

4. In notifying the JPO of the youth’s planned release date, the commitment program shall forward the Pre-Release Notification and Acknowledgment (PRN) form to the JPO at least 45 days prior to the youth’s planned release date (90 days for sex offenders not meeting statutory criteria for involuntary civil commitment of sexually violent predators to DCF as set forth in Chapter 394, F.S.).

(b) Exit Conference. Prior to a youth’s release, the program shall conduct an exit conference to review the status of the transition activities established at the transition conference and finalize plans for the youth’s return to the community. Completion of the youth’s exit portfolio will be verified at this conference placing confirmed times and locations of appointments on the calendar. The recommendations of the Community Reentry Team, if available, shall be considered at this time. The exit conference shall be conducted after the program has notified the JPO of the release, but not less than 14 days prior to the youth’s targeted release date.

1. The program shall arrange and prepare for the exit conference in accordance with the requirements for the transition conference stipulated in paragraph 63T-1.004(1)(a), F.A.C.

2. The program shall document the exit conference in the official youth case record, including the date of the conference, attendees’ signatures, names of persons participating via telephone or video conferencing, and a brief summary of the follow-up transition activities still pending. The program shall track and ensure completion of any pending actions necessary to expedite the youth’s release and successful transition.

(2) Transitional Treatment Planning. Consistent with transition planning required in subsection 63T-1.004(1), F.A.C., the program shall facilitate healthcare transitional planning and the exchange of information to maintain continuity of care for a youth who is released from a program.

(a) Healthcare Transition Discharge Planning – At least a seven-day supply of the youth’s medication shall be provided to the youth and parents or guardians at the time of release from the program. The medication must be in an individually labeled, youth-specific, prescription container generated by a pharmacy vendor. Prescription medications shall not be released solely to minor youth. A 30-day paper prescription from the facility DHA, designee, PA, or ARNP for any non-narcotic medication that the youth will continue after release will be provided to the youth’s parent or guardian or directly to the youth if over 18 years of age.

(b) Mental Health and Substance Abuse Transition/Discharge Planning.

1. During the final phase of mental health or substance abuse treatment, the mental health clinical staff person or substance abuse clinical staff person, treatment team and youth shall establish a transition/discharge plan whereby improvements made during mental health and/or substance abuse treatment will be maintained upon the youth’s movement from one facility to another, or return to the community.

2. A transition/discharge plan shall be documented on the Mental Health/Substance Abuse Treatment Discharge Summary Form which is incorporated in Chapter 63N-1, F.A.C. A copy of the Mental Health/Substance Abuse Treatment Discharge Summary Form will be provided to the youth, the youth’s assigned Juvenile Probation Officer, and also to the parent/legal guardian when the youth’s written consent for release of substance abuse information to the parent/guardian has been obtained in accordance with consent provisions in Rules 63E-7.010 and 63T-1.004, F.A.C.

3. Transition planning for youths on suicide risk alert or suicide precautions immediately prior to transfer to another facility or program shall include verbal and written notification of the facility superintendent or program director where the youth is to be transferred, of the youth’s current suicide risk status.

4. Transition planning for youths on suicide risk alert or suicide precautions immediately prior to discharge to the community shall include verbal and written notification of the youth’s parent/legal guardian and the Juvenile Probation Officer of the youth’s current suicide risk status.

(3) Coordination of Services for DJJ Youth Served by Other Agencies. In an effort to coordinate services for youth jointly served by the department and other agencies, a residential commitment program shall provide information requested by the DCF worker, APD representative, or the youth’s JPO on behalf of these agency representatives, and shall, upon request, make reasonable accommodations for them to visit the youth. The program shall invite these representatives from other agencies to the youth’s transition and exit conferences in accordance with paragraphs 63T-1.004(1)(a) and (b), F.A.C., and, if necessary, make reasonable accommodations for telephone or video access to participate in the conference. Additionally, the program shall notify these representatives 30 days prior to a youth’s release or, in the event that the program does not have 30 days’ notice of the youth’s release, the program shall notify them immediately upon becoming aware of the release date.

Rulemaking Authority 985.64 FS. Law Implemented 985.433(7)(c), 985.435, 985.46, 985.601(3)(a) FS. History‒New 6-11-13, Amended 8-19-21.