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JOANNE M. KREBS
OFFICE OF THE CITY COMMISSION
December 9, 2013
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA
1126 EAST STATE ROAD 434
WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 32708-2799
Telephone (407) 327-1800
Governor Rick Scott
Executive Office of Governor Rick Scott
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Governor Scott:
As you are aware, the Department of Children and Families performed a survey over the summer
regarding the feasibility of registering sober homes. This was done pursuant to the 2013-2014
General Appropriations Act.
As an Elected Official representing the undersigned City, I urge you to support regulation of
Recovery Residences/Sober Houses in the form of state-wide licensingtregistration for the
following reasons:
1. To create a consistent standard of operation to be applied consistently throughout the state.
2. To provide for accountability for the owners/operators of these homes.
3. To help end abuses that are occurring in some of the homes (i.e. House for Women operated
by a registered sexual offender; multi -family residence owned and operated by same person
as owner of bar it is attached to; insurance fraud; patient brokering; etc.).
4. To require background checks for owners/operators of the homes in order to help end the
abuses as referenced in paragraph 3 above. These background checks would be similar to
those already required for the owners/operators of the following types of homes/facilities:
a. Addictions Receiving Facility;
b. Day or Night Treatment;
C. Day or Night Treatment with Community Housing;
d. Detoxification;
e. Intensive Inpatient Treatment;
f. Intensive Outpatient Treatment;
g. Medication -Assisted treatment for opiate addiction;
h. Outpatient Treatment;
i. Residential Treatment;
j. Facilities that provide Intervention services; and
k. Facilities that provide prevention services
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Letter to Governor Rick Scott
December 9, 2013
Page 2 of 2
Pursuant to §§ 397.311(18) and 397.403, Fla. Stat. as well as
1. Assisted Living Facilities;
In. Adult Family -Care Homes;
n. Adult Day Care Centers
Pursuant to §§ 429.174, 429.67, 429.919, Fla. Stat;, and
o. Service Providers for the Department of Elderly Affairs; and
P. Community Residential Homes pursuant to Chapter 419, Fla. Stat. to name just a
few.
5. To ensure that certain life safety standards are followed in order to keep the residents safe in
the event of a fire (similar to the requirements for the homes/facilities referenced in
Paragraph 5 above).
6. The "Community Housing" aspect of "Day or Night Treatment with Community Housing"
is already licensed by the Department of Children and Families pursuant to §
397.311(18)(a)3, Fla. Stat, and the only difference between the licensed facilities referenced
in this statute and unlicensed sober homes is that the "Community Housing" facility which
is nothing more than a residence for persons in recovery is owned and/or operated by the
same person or entity that owns and operates the "Day or Night Treatment Facility" even
though no treatment is provided in the "Community Housing" home, whereas a Sober House
(again nothing more than a residence for persons in recovery) may be owned or operated by
anyone and is not directly affiliated with the treatment facility.
Thank you very much for supporting the Cities of Florida.
Sirs - ly,
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Sincerely,
Joanne M. Krebs
City Commissioner