Florida State House District 4 |
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It's no secret. One of my biggest legislative goals for the State of Florida is meaningful reform of the Baker & Marchman Acts. During my time on the bench in Okaloosa County, I oversaw a slew of Baker Act cases, affording me a unique insight into our state's mental health system and how it could improve. I aim to reshape the system so that funds are used more efficiently to best care for those in our communities experiencing substance abuse or mental health issues, protecting their personal liberty and our public safety at large.
More robust pre- and post-care programs would allow healthcare providers and facilities, law enforcement, and communities to better treat the 20% of patients who currently consume 80% of the services and funding. By partnering with House and Senate leadership, related statewide agencies and outside stakeholders, I am confident a bill can be presented to the Governor for signature this coming Legislative Session that would substantively improve the way Baker & Marchman Act cases are handled in the Sunshine State.
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Okaloosa County Delegation Meeting
The annual Okaloosa County Delegation Meeting will be held on October 30th at 5:30pm at Northwest Florida State College, Building 400. The meeting will be open to the public. Please contact Andrew Fay at Andrew.Fay@myfloridahouse.gov for more information.
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Our first Legislative Committee Week of the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session is in the books!
The Children, Families, & Seniors Subcommittee, of which Representative Koster is Chair and I am Vice Chair, "focuses on vulnerable populations who rely for their safety and welfare on publicly organized and funded programs and services, including mental health and substance abuse services, and services for frail elders, people with developmental disabilities, and abused and neglected children."
Important work is done in every Committee in the Legislature, but serving as Vice Chair of the Children, Families, & Seniors Subcommittee is a true honor. The ability to affect change for the people who need it most in our communities is a tremendous responsibility and a challenge that we face head on. Visit the Children, Families, & Seniors Subcommittee page HERE.
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Speaker Designation Ceremony
It was a true pleasure to be present at Representative Perez's Speaker Designation Ceremony in Tallahassee. I am proud to call Speaker Designate Perez a friend and am confident he will lead the Florida House of Representatives with honor and integrity. With leadership like his, the future of the Florida House certainly is in great hands.
Speaker Designate Perez presented members of the majority party with an incredible gift: individual, hand-written notes from members of Brigade 2506, the Cuban exiles who took part in the Bay of Pigs operation in 1960. The letters were compiled and made into the book Voices of Freedom. This is a truly historical gift and one that I will cherish.
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Apalachee Center
As I continue my efforts to reshape the Baker and Marchman Acts in Florida, I have made it a point to visit Baker Act receiving facilities across the state. This has been in an effort to learn how the healthcare providers and mental health agencies care for those in our communities who are going through times of crisis and mental health instability.
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It is my hope that with the combined efforts of the state, healthcare providers, law enforcement, local communities, and other stakeholders, we can make the Baker and Marchman Acts more efficient, more cost-effective, and most importantly, to work better for the people that need the services most.
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One Okaloosa EDC Roundtable
September 8 - One Okaloosa Economic Development Council hosted a roundtable where Ret. Navy Seal Commander Jimmy May presented on the topic of "Building Organizational Resilience".
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Daughters of the American Revolution Luncheon
September 14 - Florida Supreme Court Justice Jamie R. Grosshans was on hand to speak at the Choctawhatchee Bay DAR Chapter luncheon. It was a fascinating talk centered on "Educational Civility" with references to Greek philosophy and the social frictions we face today.
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North Okaloosa Fire District
September 15 - "My bride says the difference between a man and a boy is the price of their toys!" I was able to spend two fascinating hours at the North Okaloosa Fire District station, one of 12 Special Fire Districts located within Okaloosa County. These range from small Districts, such as Baker Fire District, to larger ones like Destin Fire Control District. Each of these Districts have their own unique challenges that they face and it was fascinating to learn about them.
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Florida Chamber of Commerce Award
September 19 - I was honored to be presented with the Florida Chamber of Commerce Honor Roll Award with a 98% voting record score.
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HSU Foundation Open House
September 22 - It was a pleasure to visit HSU Foundation's test range in Laurel Hill where they test autonomous and drone technology in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory. We were able to witness a demonstration of GUS (Geographically separated Unmanned Surveillance), their robot dog, operated by high school students.
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Air Force Enlisted Village
September 25 - I enjoyed a return visit to the Air Force Enlisted Village in Shalimar. Operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, AFEV is a 55+ retirement community for enlisted military members and their surviving spouses, with an emphasis on Air Force widows.
Currently, the facility is comprised of six apartment villages and a main clubhouse. They have plans for expanded services in the future and I am proud to support their efforts. I was pleased to assist in running an appropriation of $2,000,000 in state funding to purchase 80 acres of land for the forthcoming Victory Village, a military retiree and veteran wounded warrior campus. They are a wonderful community resource and you can learn more about them HERE.
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Silvercrest Health and Rehabilitation Center
September 25 - Many thanks to the Florida Healthcare Association and the Silvercrest Health and Rehabilitation Center for having us out to discuss the state of their facility and the industry at large. One of the major issues Silvercrest, and other facilities across the state, face is housing affordability. This affects their ability to hire and retain staff. People facing mental health crises and who are dual diagnosed present other complications for facilities not licensed or equipped to deal with such situations. It was a very enlightening conversation and one that we hope will bear fruit moving forward to assist Silvercrest and other similar facilities to care for our elderly and sick population.
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"Thank you for allowing me to represent you. It is truly an honor to serve you and the State of Florida." - Representative Patt Maney |
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