South Florida State Hospital; privatization.

(1) The Department of Children and Families shall, through a request for proposals, privatize South Florida State Hospital. The department shall plan to begin implementation of this privatization initiative by July 1, 1998.

(a) Notwithstanding s. 287.057(14), the department may enter into agreements, not to exceed 20 years, with a private provider, a coalition of providers, or another agency to finance, design, and construct a treatment facility having up to 350 beds and to operate all aspects of daily operations within the facility. The department may subcontract any or all components of this procurement to a statutorily established state governmental entity that has successfully contracted with private companies for designing, financing, acquiring, leasing, constructing, and operating major privatized state facilities.

(b) The selected contractor is authorized to sponsor the issuance of tax-exempt bonds, certificates of participation, or other securities to finance the project, and the state is authorized to enter into a lease-purchase agreement for the treatment facility.

(2) The contractor shall operate South Florida State Hospital as a mental health treatment facility that serves voluntarily and involuntarily committed indigent adults who meet the criteria of part I of this chapter and who reside in the South Florida State Hospital service area.

(a) South Florida State Hospital shall remain a participant in the mental health disproportionate share program so long as the residents receive eligible services.

(b) The department and the contractor shall ensure that the treatment facility is operated as a part of a total continuum of care for persons who are mentally ill. The contractor shall have as its primary goal for the treatment facility to effectively treat and assist residents to return to the community as quickly as possible.

(3)(a) Current South Florida State Hospital employees who are affected by the privatization shall be given first preference for continued employment by the contractor. The department shall make reasonable efforts to find suitable job placements for employees who wish to remain within the state Career Service System.

(b) Any savings that result from the privatization of South Florida State Hospital shall be directed to the department’s service districts 9, 10, and 11 for the delivery of community mental health services.