Behavioral Health Teaching Hospital grant program.

(1) There is established within the agency a grant program for the purpose of funding designated behavioral health teaching hospitals, subject to legislative appropriation. Grant funding may be used for operational expenses for the delivery of comprehensive wrap-around rehabilitative services for behavioral health patients and fixed capital outlay expenses that are directly related to the provision of behavioral health services by the behavioral health teaching hospital or its subcontracted behavioral health care provider, including, but not limited to:

(a) Facility renovation and upgrades, as necessary, to:

1. Establish new beds for patients requiring behavioral health services; or

2. Enhance a facility’s treatment environment specific to the provision of behavioral health services.

(b) Establishing new or increasing the capacity of existing behavioral health services provided by the behavioral health teaching hospital or its subcontracted behavioral health care provider; and

(c) Creating and maintaining an integrated workforce development program pursuant to s. 395.902(2)(d).

(2)(a) For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the agency shall hold a 30-day, open application period beginning November 1, 2024, to accept applications from the behavioral health teaching hospitals designated under s. 395.902(4), in a manner determined by the agency. Applicants must include a detailed spending plan with the application.

(b) For the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fiscal years, the agency shall hold a 30-day, open application period beginning October 1 of each year to accept applications from behavioral health teaching hospitals designated under s. 395.902, in a manner determined by the agency. Applicants must include a detailed spending plan with the application. On or before January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026, hospitals desiring to apply for designation in the next fiscal year shall submit letters of intent to the agency.

(3) The agency, in consultation with the department, shall evaluate and rank grant applications based on compliance with s. 395.902(2) and the quality of the plan submitted under s. 395.902(2)(e) or plan implementation, as applicable, related to achieving the purposes of the behavioral health teaching hospital program. The agency, in consultation with the department, shall make recommendations for grant awards and distribution of available funding for such awards. The agency shall submit the evaluation and grant award recommendations to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives within 90 days after the open application period closes.

(4) Notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, the agency may submit budget amendments, subject to the notice, review, and objection procedures under s. 216.177, requesting the release of the funds to make awards. The agency is authorized to submit budget amendments relating to expenses under this subsection under the grant program only within the 90 days after the open application period closes.

(5) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, the balance of any appropriation from the General Revenue Fund for the program which is not disbursed but which is obligated pursuant to contract or committed to be expended by June 30 of the fiscal year for which the funds are appropriated may be carried forward for up to 8 years after the effective date of the original appropriation.

(6) The agency may adopt rules necessary to implement this section.