(1) Purpose. The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), or its designee, will register qualified evaluators for the purpose of determining that a child in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is suitable for residential treatment services (as defined in section 39.407(6)(a), F.S.).

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    (2) Qualifications:
    (a) A licensed psychiatrist or a psychologist meeting all of the following criteria may be registered as a qualified evaluator by AHCA, or its designee:
    1. Be licensed in Florida in accordance with chapter 458, 459, or 490, F.S.
    2. Have three or more years of clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of serious emotional disturbances in children and adolescents.
    3. Have no actual or perceived conflict of interest with any inpatient facility or residential treatment center or program.
    4. Have successfully passed background screening requirements of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Federal Bureau of Investigations.
    (b) The Agency for Health Care Administration will maintain a list of qualified evaluators who have been registered in each AHCA region on its Florida Medicaid Quality Website at http://ahca.myflorida.com/medicaid/Policy_and_Quality/Quality/index.shtml.
    (3) Selection Process. Interested applicants can submit a resume and proof of the qualification items in subsection (2) to AHCA, or its designee. Then, DCF can select a qualified evaluator from the list of evaluators maintained by AHCA, to perform a suitability assessment (as described in Florida Statutes § 39.407(6)). Selection of the qualified evaluator will be made based on the geographic proximity of the qualified evaluator to the child and the availability of the qualified evaluator to perform the assessment.
    (4) Fees: The Department of Children and Families, or its designee, will reimburse the qualified evaluator for performance of a suitability assessment in accordance with the following fee schedule or may choose to negotiate a mutually agreed upon rate with the qualified evaluator:
Description:
Cost Per Assessment:
Initial Assessment
$400.00
90-Day Assessment
$560.00
Rescheduling Fee
$120.00
Rulemaking Authority 39.407(6)(i) FS. Law Implemented Florida Statutes § 39.407. History—New 9-28-15.