FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Jessica Souva
Phone: 202-486-1840
Email: JessicaS95@ApalacheeCenter.org

FLORIDA COMMISSION ON MENTAL HEALTH PUBLISHES FINAL REPORT

Broad Interdisciplinary Commission Drove Landmark Bipartisan Policy Changes;
Behavioral Healthcare Data Repository Puts Florida in National Vanguard

of States Gathering Statewide Mental Health Data

 

TALLAHASSEE, FL, Sept. 4,2026 – The Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder has officially released its final report, delivering the first comprehensive, single-source overview of its systemwide recommendations – a historic sixteen of which have been codified into state law.

A centerpiece of the Commission’s landmark work was the vision for a centralized behavioral healthcare data repository, now placing Florida in the vanguard of large states gathering and analyzing integrated mental health metrics across publicly funded services.

This month marks the sunset of the commission, an interdisciplinary coalition of lawmakers, nationally known experts in behavioral health, state agency heads, and prominent university researchers working together with leaders from law enforcement, the judiciary and the mental health provider and payor communities that engaged 18 Legislature and Governor-appointed Commissioners and over fifty content experts and persons with lived experience.

It achieved historic milestones in its mission to assess and recommend improvements to the state’s public behavioral healthcare delivery systems. Led since 2023 by Commission Chair Dr. Jay Reeve, CEO of Apalachee Center, the Commission has successfully advanced critical policy changes.

“It was our privilege as a Commission to have the opportunity to partner with stakeholders, lawmakers, and nationally recognized content experts across disciplines to improve mental healthcare delivery,” said Dr. Jay Reeve, Chair of the Mental Health Policy Commission. “I think the final report clearly demonstrates the progress made by the Commission in helping improve behavioral healthcare in Florida, and setting the course for years to come”.

Sixteen of the detailed recommendations made by the Commission have been codified into law under Senate Bill 1620 and Senate Bill 168 – The Tristin Murphy Act, and are included in the Commission’s Final Report to the Legislature. Some of the Commission’s signature recommendations include:

  • Modernize the Baker Act and Marchman Act;
  • Establish Regional Behavioral Health Collaboratives;
  • Complete a comprehensive Gap Analysis;
  • Establish a policy recognizing 988 as a part of the behavioral health system of care, developing formal relationships with Mobile Response Teams and Crisis Stabilization Units;
  • Limit the use of competency restoration process to cases that are inappropriate for dismissal or diversion;
  • Encourage statewide implementation of the DLA-20 functional assessment tool, incorporate it into all new state contracts, and evaluate the DLA-20 tool and the marketplace every two years;
  • Assess Florida school districts and identify effective models of school-based behavioral health access through telehealth;
  • Increase Short-term Residential Treatment facility capacity for adults and children;
  • Conduct analysis of publicly funded health plan panels for mental health and substance use services;
  • Increase use of Long Acting Injectables prior to discharge from State Mental Health Treatment Facilities and Community Mental Health Providers;
  • Provide stipends, compensation, and/or support for clinical supervisors and/or employers, students, and registered interns;
  • Conduct a workforce compensation study (conducted by the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce);
  • Share best practices on mental health first aid and the use of de-stigmatizing person-first language and trauma-responsive care to improve patient experience and engagement in treatment;
  • Develop local community and statewide incentives to attract and recruit behavioral healthcare professionals;
  • Increase crisis response teams focused on seniors to divert older adults from deeper end services and provide follow-up to ensure continued stabilization; and
  • Develop a Florida Behavioral Healthcare Data Repository

About Apalachee Center
Apalachee Center is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the mental health and recovery of individuals and families across Leon, Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla Counties, aiding in recovery from emotional, psychiatric and substance use disorder crises. In partnership with Life Management Center, it also serves Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties in the Florida Panhandle. Those struggling or in need of mental health support can call our 24/7 HelpLine and MRT at 800-342-0774 or visit ApalacheeCenter.org/SameDay. For more information, visit ApalacheeCenter.org and lmccares.org

2026-09-04_News Release_FCMH Publishes Landmark Final Report