6A-4.0013 Mental Health Assistance Program Functional Assessment Instruments.

1. (1) Purpose. The purpose of this rule is to establish Department-approved alternative functional assessment instruments to the Daily Living Activities–20 (DLA-20) for use in school-based mental health services funded through the Mental Health Assistance Program (MHAP), as provided in section 1006.041, F.S.

2. (2) Definitions. For purposes of this rule:

   1. (a) “Department” means the Florida Department of Education (FDOE).
   2. (b) “Functional assessment instrument” means a standardized tool used to measure student functioning, progress, and needs in relation to school-based mental health services.
   3. (c) “School district” means a Florida school district, the Florida Virtual School (section 1002.37, F.S.), the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (section 1002.36, F.S.), and developmental research (laboratory) schools (section 1002.32, F.S.).

3. (3) Approval of Functional Assessment Instruments.

   1. (a) The Department, in consultation with the Department of Children and Families, shall identify functional assessment instruments approved for use as an alternative to the DLA-20.

   2. (b) To be approved, instruments must demonstrate:

      1. Validity and reliability for use with school-aged populations;

      2. Alignment with educational and behavioral health goals; and

      3. Utility in informing service delivery and measuring student outcomes.

4. (4) Use of Approved Functional Assessment Instruments.

   1. (a) Each school district must adopt procedures for the use of, at minimum, the Department-approved functional assessment instruments as an alternative to the DLA-20, pursuant to section 1006.041, F.S.
   2. (b) Department-approved functional assessment instruments are posted on the Department’s website at https://www.fldoe.org/schools/k-12-public-schools/sss/mental-health.stml.

5. (5) Implementation.

   1. (a) School districts, including charter schools, must ensure that Department-approved functional assessment instruments are utilized, at minimum, when conducting functional assessments pursuant to section 1006.041, F.S.
   2. (b) Local community behavioral health providers, including Community Action Teams, that contract with or operate under interagency agreements with school districts, must also utilize, at minimum, the Department-approved functional assessment instruments.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), 1006.041(2) FS. Law Implemented 1006.041 FS. History-New 2-24-26.