Contracts for provision of local substance abuse and mental health programs.

(1) The department, when funds are available for such purposes, is authorized to contract for the establishment and operation of local substance abuse and mental health programs with any hospital, clinic, laboratory, institution, or other appropriate service provider.

(2)(a) Contracts for service shall be consistent with the approved district plan.

(b) Notwithstanding s. 394.76(3)(a) and (c), the department may use unit cost methods of payment in contracts for purchasing mental health and substance abuse services. The unit cost contracting system must account for those patient fees that are paid on behalf of a specific client and those that are earned and used by the provider for those services funded in whole or in part by the department. The department may also use a fee-for-service arrangement, case rates, or a capitation arrangement in order to account for those services. The department is authorized to implement through administrative rule fee-for-service, prepaid case rate, and prepaid capitation contract methodologies to purchase mental health and substance abuse services. Fee-for-service, prepaid case rate, or prepaid capitation mechanisms shall not be implemented statewide without the elimination of the unit cost method of payment. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 394.76(3), the department may adopt administrative rules that account for local match in a manner that is consistent with fee-for-service, prepaid case rate, and prepaid capitated payment methodologies. Such provisions may not result in a change of the ratio of state to local matching resources or in the sources of local matching funds and may not increase the amount of required local matching funds. It is the intent of the Legislature that the provisions to account for local match be consistent with the financial principles adopted for the payment of state funds.

(c) The department may reimburse actual expenditures for startup contracts and fixed capital outlay contracts in accordance with contract specifications.

(3) Contracts shall include, but are not limited to:

(a) A provision that, within the limits of available resources, substance abuse and mental health crisis services, as defined in s. 394.67, shall be available to any individual residing or employed within the service area, regardless of ability to pay for such services, current or past health condition, or any other factor;

(b) A provision that such services be available with priority of attention being given to individuals who exhibit symptoms of chronic or acute substance abuse or mental illness and who are unable to pay the cost of receiving such services;

(c) A provision that every reasonable effort to collect appropriate reimbursement for the cost of providing substance abuse and mental health services to persons able to pay for services, including first-party payments and third-party payments, shall be made by facilities providing services pursuant to this act;

(d) A program description and line-item operating budget by program service component for substance abuse and mental health services, provided the entire proposed operating budget for the service provider will be displayed;

(e) A provision that client demographic, service, and outcome information required for the department’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse Data System be submitted to the department by a date specified in the contract. The department may not pay the provider unless the required information has been submitted by the specified date; and

(f) A requirement that the contractor must conform to department rules and the priorities established thereunder.

(4) The department shall develop standard contract forms for use between the district administrator and community substance abuse and mental health service providers.

(5) This part does not prevent any municipality or county, or combination of municipalities and counties, from owning, financing, and operating a substance abuse or mental health program by entering into an arrangement with the district to provide, and be reimbursed for, services provided as part of the district plan.

(6) The department may use a fee-for-service arrangement, case rates, or capitation in order to account for mental health and substance abuse services.