(1) For purposes of this section, an “unaccompanied homeless youth” is an individual who is 16 years of age or older and is:

(a) Found by a school district’s liaison for homeless children and youths to be an unaccompanied homeless youth eligible for services pursuant to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. ss. 11431-11435; or

(b) Believed to qualify as an unaccompanied homeless youth, as that term is defined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, by:

1. The director of an emergency shelter program funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, or the director’s designee;

2. The director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, or the director’s designee; or

3. A continuum of care lead agency, or its designee.

(2)(a) The State Office on Homelessness within the Department of Children and Families shall develop a standardized form that must be used by the entities specified in subsection (1) to certify qualifying unaccompanied homeless youth. The front of the form must include the circumstances that qualify the youth; the date the youth was certified; and the name, title, and signature of the certifying individual. This section must be reproduced in its entirety on the back of the form.

(b) A certified unaccompanied homeless youth may use the completed form to apply at no charge for an identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles pursuant to s. 322.051(9).

(c) A health care provider may accept the written certificate as proof of the minor’s status as a certified unaccompanied homeless youth and may keep a copy of the certificate in the youth’s medical file.

(3) A certified unaccompanied homeless youth may:

(a) Petition the circuit court to have the disabilities of nonage removed under s. 743.015. The youth shall qualify as a person not required to prepay costs and fees as provided in s. 57.081. The court shall advance the cause on the calendar.

(b) Notwithstanding s. 394.4625(1), consent to medical, dental, psychological, substance abuse, and surgical diagnosis and treatment, including preventative care and care by a facility licensed under chapter 394, chapter 395, or chapter 397 and any forensic medical examination for the purpose of investigating any felony offense under chapter 784, chapter 787, chapter 794, chapter 800, or chapter 827, for:

1. Himself or herself; or

2. His or her child, if the certified unaccompanied homeless youth is unmarried, is the parent of the child, and has actual custody of the child.

(4) This section does not affect the requirements of s. 390.01114.

History.—s. 4, ch. 2012-186; s. 1, ch. 2014-173; s. 36, ch. 2017-151.