39.524 Safe-harbor placement.—
(1) Except as provided in s. 39.407 or s. 985.801, a dependent child 6 years of age or older who has been found to be a victim of sexual exploitation as defined in s. 39.01(69)(g) must be assessed for placement in a safe house or safe foster home as provided in s. 409.1678 using the initial screening and assessment instruments provided in s. 409.1754(1). If such placement is determined to be appropriate for the child as a result of this assessment, the child may be placed in a safe house or safe foster home, if one is available. However, the child may be placed in another setting, if the other setting is more appropriate to the child’s needs or if a safe house or safe foster home is unavailable, as long as the child’s behaviors are managed so as not to endanger other children served in that setting.
(2) The results of the assessment described in s. 409.1754(1) and the actions taken as a result of the assessment must be included in the next judicial review of the child. At each subsequent judicial review, the court must be advised in writing of the status of the child’s placement, with special reference regarding the stability of the placement and the permanency planning for the child.
(3)(a) By December 1 of each year, the department shall report to the Legislature on the placement of children in safe houses and safe foster homes during the year, including the criteria used to determine the placement of children, the number of children who were evaluated for placement, the number of children who were placed based upon the evaluation, and the number of children who were not placed.
(b) The department shall maintain data specifying the number of children who were referred to a safe house or safe foster home for whom placement was unavailable and the counties in which such placement was unavailable. The department shall include this data in its report under this subsection so that the Legislature may consider this information in developing the General Appropriations Act.
History.—s. 5, ch. 2012-105; s. 3, ch. 2014-161; s. 52, ch. 2014-224; s. 7, ch. 2015-2.
Section: Previous 39.521 39.522 39.523 39.524Last modified: September 23, 2016