Darryl Rouson, Debra Tendrich propose sweeping expansion of youth mental health screenings

Democratic lawmakers are working to catch mental health problems early, before they spiral into lifelong crises.

St. Petersburg Sen. Darryl Rouson and Lake Worth Rep. Debra Tendrich filed companion bills (SB 1302, HB 1133) to require mental and behavioral health screenings for minors and young adults enrolled in Medicaid.

The goal is to confront what they describe as a statewide youth mental health emergency.

Tendrich told Florida Politics her push for reform was galvanized by personal tragedy. In 2023, her friend, Brian Hiltebeitel, was brutally killed on a Palm Beach County golf course by a 26-year-old man later deemed incompetent for trial due to mental illness and substance abuse concerns.

The case prompted her to examine how gaps in early identification and treatment can allow serious conditions to escalate unchecked. After speaking with Judges, pediatricians, psychiatrists, educators, behavioral health providers and families, the message she received was consistent: Early detection and timely intervention are essential to preventing long-term harm.

“We are in a mental health crisis,” Tendrich said in a statement. “It is imperative that Florida adopt systems for early, validated, and age-appropriate mental health screenings. With this bill, Florida is addressing the issue directly and responsibly.”

Under the legislation, managed care plans under the Agency for Health Care Administration and Medicaid would have to establish practice parameters for validated, nationally recognized mental and behavioral health screenings.

The screenings would have to be trauma-informed — recognizing trauma’s impact while prioritizing safety, compassion, empowerment and healing — and tailored to a child’s developmental stage.

Early detection efforts would be expanded from birth through age 22. Required evaluations would include autism and developmental screenings beginning at birth; depression and anxiety assessments during childhood and adolescence; age-appropriate substance-use screenings; and ongoing behavioral, social and emotional health evaluations through young adulthood.

Mental health professionals say many pediatric conditions are highly treatable when identified early, yet children are often diagnosed only after years of academic, social and emotional struggles. Embedding standardized screening into Medicaid care, the lawmakers said, will help identify warning signs sooner and connect families to services before problems intensify.

“This legislation is about giving families the support they need when concerns first arise, not months or years later,” Rouson said in a statement.

The proposal also places a strong emphasis on parental education. It would direct the Department of Health to provide guardians with accessible guidance on factors that influence mental health, including screen time, sleep, nutrition and parenting skills.

Families would also receive information on coordinated referrals to community mental health centers and behavioral health hubs, reinforcing what Tendrich called a collaborative care model focused on the whole child.

“This legislation builds a bridge between medical professionals and families,” she said. “Healthy routines — good sleep, responsible device use, and proper nutrition — are powerful tools in supporting a child’s mental health. That is how we treat the whole child.”

If approved by the Legislature and signed, the measure would take effect July 1.