Legislative intent.

It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure the referral of individuals who have moderate-to-severe brain or spinal cord injuries to the brain and spinal cord injury program, a coordinated rehabilitation program administered by the department. The program shall provide eligible persons, as defined in s. 381.76, the opportunity to obtain the necessary rehabilitative services enabling them to be referred to a vocational rehabilitation program or to return to an appropriate level of functioning in their community. Further, it is intended that permanent disability be avoided, whenever possible, through prevention, early identification, emergency medical services and transport, and proper medical and rehabilitative treatment.