Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 295 - Laws Relating to Veterans: General Provisions

• Addictions receiving facility: is a secure, acute care facility that provides, at a minimum, detoxification and stabilization services; is operated 24 hours per day, 7 days per week; and is designated by the department to serve individuals found to be substance use impaired as described in…. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Authorized agent of the department: means a person designated by the department to conduct any audit, inspection, monitoring, evaluation, or other duty imposed upon the department pursuant to this chapter. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Beyond the safe management capabilities of the service provider: refers to an individual who is in need of:
  (a) Supervision;
  (b) Medical care; or
  (c) Services,

  beyond that which the service provider or service component can deliver. See Florida Statutes 397.311

• Certificate of compliance: means a certificate that is issued by a credentialing entity to a recovery residence or a recovery residence administrator. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Certified recovery residence: means a recovery residence that holds a valid certificate of compliance and is actively managed by a certified recovery residence administrator. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Certified recovery residence administrator: means a recovery residence administrator who holds a valid certificate of compliance. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• Clinical assessment: means the collection of detailed information concerning an individual's substance use, emotional and physical health, social roles, and other areas that may reflect the severity of the individual's abuse of alcohol or drugs. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Clinical treatment: means a professionally directed, deliberate, and planned regimen of services and interventions that are designed to reduce or eliminate the misuse of drugs and alcohol and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Community housing: means a certified recovery residence offered, referred to, or provided by a licensed service provider that provides housing to its patients who are required to reside at the residence while receiving intensive outpatient and higher levels of outpatient care. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• component: means a discrete operational entity within a service provider which is subject to licensing as defined by rule. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Court: means the court of legal jurisdiction in the context in which the term is used in this chapter. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Court reporter: A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request.
• Credentialing entity: means a nonprofit organization that develops and administers professional, facility, or organization certification programs according to applicable nationally recognized certification or psychometric standards. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Day or night treatment: is a service provided in a nonresidential environment, with a structured schedule of treatment and rehabilitative services. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means the Department of Children and Families. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Department: means the Department of Corrections. See Florida Statutes 397.753
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Detoxification: is a service involving subacute care that is provided on an inpatient or an outpatient basis to assist individuals to withdraw from the physiological and psychological effects of substance abuse and who meet the placement criteria for this component. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Director: means the chief administrative or executive officer of a service provider or recovery residence. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• disclosure: means a communication of identifying information, the affirmative verification of another person's communication of identifying information, or the communication of any information regarding an individual who has received services. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• evaluation: means a systematic measurement of a service provider's achievement of desired individual or service outcomes. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Fee system: means a method of establishing charges for services rendered, in accordance with an individual's ability to pay, used by providers that receive state funds. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
• Habitual abuser: means a person who is brought to the attention of law enforcement for being substance impaired, who meets the criteria for involuntary admission in…. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Hospital: means a hospital or hospital-based component licensed under chapter 395. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Identifying information: means the name, address, social security number, fingerprints, photograph, and similar information by which the identity of an individual can be determined with reasonable accuracy directly or by reference to other publicly available information. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• Individual: means a person who receives alcohol or other drug abuse treatment services delivered by a service provider. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Informed consent: means consent voluntarily given in writing by a competent person after sufficient explanation and disclosure of the subject matter involved to enable the person to make a knowing and willful decision without any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, or other form of constraint or coercion. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Inmate: means any person committed by a court of competent jurisdiction to the custody of the Department of Corrections, including transfers from federal and state agencies under the Interstate Corrections Compact. See Florida Statutes 397.753
• Inmate substance abuse services: means any service component as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 397.753
• Involuntary treatment services: means an array of behavioral health services that may be ordered by the court for persons with substance abuse impairment or co-occurring substance abuse impairment and mental health disorders. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Law enforcement officer: means a law enforcement officer as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Licensed service provider: means a public agency under this chapter, a private for-profit or not-for-profit agency under this chapter, a physician or any other private practitioner licensed under this chapter, or a hospital that offers substance abuse services through one or more licensed service components. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• oath: includes affirmations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.
• Outpatient treatment: is a service that provides individual, group, or family counseling by appointment during scheduled operating hours for individuals who meet the placement criteria for this component. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Peer specialist: means a person who has been in recovery from a substance use disorder or mental illness for at least 2 years who uses his or her personal experience to provide services in behavioral health settings to support others in their recovery, or a person who has at least 2 years of experience as a family member or caregiver of an individual who has a substance use disorder or mental illness. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• personnel: includes all owners, directors, chief financial officers, staff, and volunteers, including foster parents, of a service provider. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Physician: means a person licensed under chapter 458 to practice medicine or licensed under chapter 459 to practice osteopathic medicine, and may include, if the context so indicates, an intern or resident enrolled in an intern or resident training program affiliated with an approved medical school, hospital, or other facility through which training programs are normally conducted. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Physician assistant: means a person licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459 to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician or psychiatrist whose specialty includes substance abuse treatment. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
• political subdivision: include counties, cities, towns, villages, special tax school districts, special road and bridge districts, bridge districts, and all other districts in this state. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Prevention: means a process involving strategies that are aimed at the individual, family, community, or substance and that preclude, forestall, or impede the development of substance use problems and promote responsible lifestyles. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• provider: means a public agency, a private for-profit or not-for-profit agency, a person who is a private practitioner, or a hospital licensed under this chapter or exempt from licensure under this chapter. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• Qualified professional: means a physician or a physician assistant licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459; a professional licensed under chapter 490 or chapter 491; an advanced practice registered nurse licensed under part I of chapter 464; or a person who is certified through a department-recognized certification process for substance abuse treatment services and who holds, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Quality improvement: means a systematic and organized approach to monitor and continuously improve the quality of services in order to maintain, restore, or improve outcomes in individuals and populations throughout a system of care. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Recovery: means a process of personal change through which individuals achieve abstinence from alcohol or drug use and improve health, wellness, and quality of life. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Recovery residence: means a residential dwelling unit, the community housing component of a licensed day or night treatment facility with community housing, or other form of group housing, which is offered or advertised through any means, including oral, written, electronic, or printed means, by any person or entity as a residence that provides a peer-supported, alcohol-free, and drug-free living environment. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Recovery residence administrator: means the person responsible for overall management of the recovery residence, including, but not limited to, the supervision of residents and staff employed by, or volunteering for, the residence. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Recovery support: means services designed to strengthen or assist individuals to regain skills, develop the environmental supports necessary to help the individual thrive in the community, and meet life goals that promote recovery from alcohol and drug use. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Screening: means the gathering of initial information to be used in determining a person's need for assessment, services, or referral. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• secure facility: includes addictions receiving facilities and facilities authorized by local ordinance for the treatment of habitual abusers. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• Stabilization: means :
  (a) Alleviation of a crisis condition; or
  (b) Prevention of further deterioration,

  and connotes short-term emergency treatment. See Florida Statutes 397.311

• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Substance abuse: means the misuse or abuse of, or dependence on alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription medications. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• substance abuse impaired: means having a substance use disorder or a condition involving the use of alcoholic beverages, illicit or prescription drugs, or any psychoactive or mood-altering substance in such a manner as to induce mental, emotional, or physical problems or cause socially dysfunctional behavior. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Substate entity: means a departmental office designated to serve a geographical area specified by the department. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• System of care: means a coordinated continuum of community-based services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges and needs of individuals who are at risk of developing substance abuse problems or individuals who have substance abuse problems. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Treatment plan: means an immediate and a long-range plan based upon an individual's assessed needs and used to address and monitor an individual's recovery from substance abuse. See Florida Statutes 397.311
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• veteran: means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under honorable conditions only or who later received an upgraded discharge under honorable conditions, notwithstanding any action by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs on individuals discharged or released with other than honorable discharges. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01