Community services and treatment.

(1) The agency shall plan, develop, organize, and implement its programs of services and treatment for persons with developmental disabilities to allow clients to live as independently as possible in their own homes or communities and to achieve productive lives as close to normal as possible. All elements of community-based services shall be made available, and eligibility for these services shall be consistent across the state.

(2) Necessary services shall be purchased, rather than provided directly by the agency, when the purchase of services is more cost-efficient than providing them directly. All purchased services must be approved by the agency. As a condition of payment and before billing, persons or entities under contract with the agency to provide services shall use agency data management systems to document service provision to clients or shall maintain such information in its own data management system and electronically transmit it to the agency data management system in an industry standard electronic format designated by the agency. The agency may not require training on the use of agency data management systems by persons or entities that choose to maintain data in their own data management system, provided that they electronically transmit required information in a format and frequency designated by the agency. Contracted persons and entities shall meet the minimum hardware and software technical requirements established by the agency for the use of such systems. Such persons or entities shall also meet any requirements established by the agency for training and professional development of staff providing direct services to clients.

(3) Community-based services that are medically necessary to prevent institutionalization shall, to the extent of available resources, include:

(a) Adult day training services.

(b) Family care services.

(c) Guardian advocate referral services.

(d) Medical/dental services, except that medical services shall not be provided to clients with spina bifida except as specifically appropriated by the Legislature.

(e) Parent training.

(f) Personal care services.

(g) Recreation.

(h) Residential facility services.

(i) Respite services.

(j) Social services.

(k) Specialized therapies.

(l) Supported employment.

(m) Supported living.

(n) Training, including behavioral analysis services.

(o) Transportation.

(p) Other habilitative and rehabilitative services as needed.

(4) The agency shall utilize the services of private businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and units of local government whenever such services are more cost-efficient than such services provided directly by the department, including arrangements for provision of residential facilities.

(5) In order to improve the potential for utilization of more cost-effective, community-based residential facilities, the agency shall promote the statewide development of day habilitation services for clients who live with a direct service provider in a community-based residential facility and who do not require 24-hour-a-day care in a hospital or other health care institution, but who may, in the absence of day habilitation services, require admission to a developmental disabilities center. Each day service facility shall provide a protective physical environment for clients, ensure that direct service providers meet minimum screening standards as required in s. 393.0655, make available to all day habilitation service participants at least one meal on each day of operation, provide facilities to enable participants to obtain needed rest while attending the program, as appropriate, and provide social and educational activities designed to stimulate interest and provide socialization skills.

(6) To promote independence and productivity, the agency shall provide supports and services, within available resources, to assist clients enrolled in Medicaid waivers who choose to pursue gainful employment.

(7) For the purpose of making needed community-based residential facilities available at the least possible cost to the state, the agency is authorized to lease privately owned residential facilities under long-term rental agreements, if such rental agreements are projected to be less costly to the state over the useful life of the facility than state purchase or state construction of such a facility.

(8) The agency may adopt rules providing definitions, eligibility criteria, and procedures for the purchase of services provided pursuant to this section.

(9) The agency shall utilize a monthly reimbursement rate, developed by the Agency for Health Care Administration in consultation with the agency, for Life Skills Development Level 3 and Level 4 services. The monthly reimbursement rate shall apply to services for clients who receive at least 80 hours of such services during a calendar month. For clients who receive less than 80 hours of services during a calendar month, providers shall be reimbursed using an hourly reimbursement rate.