Florida News Straight From the Source
Appealing to voters from the perspective of a survivor of child sexual abuse, a new “Yes on Amendment 6” ad featuring Lauren Book is now running across Florida. [Read more…] about Marsy’s Law for Florida Releases Statewide “Yes on Amendment 6” Ad Campaign Featuring Lauren Book
“The Florida Supreme Court was in South Florida today hearing arguments for why Amendment 6, also known as Marsy’s Law for Florida, should remain on the November General Election ballot. More than political or legal theatre, this is an issue that is so important and so deeply personal to Floridians who are survivors of crime, including me. [Read more…] about Statement by Florida Senator Lauren Book, Child Sexual Abuse Survivor and Founder of Lauren’s Kids
“The credible allegations of more than 1,000 victims of child sexual assault by Roman Catholic clergy throughout Pennsylvania are revolting. Over the course of 80 years, 300 predator priests were permitted to prey on their parishioners and their parishioners’ children, creating a scale of abuse never before documented. [Read more…] about Statement from Florida Senator Lauren Book, Child Sexual Abuse Survivor and Founder of Lauren’s Kids
CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis today was joined by the bill sponsors for Senate Bill 376, Senator Lauren Book and Representative Matt Willhite, and members of the fire service and law enforcement communities from across Southeast Florida and Palm Beach County to highlight the signing of SB 376, expanding mental health benefits for first responders. Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill last week in Tampa surrounded by hundreds of first responders from across the state.
2018 is a landmark year for Maternal Mental Health in Florida as the legislature considers Senate Bill 138, the “Florida Families First Act,” filed by Senator Lauren Book. The Florida Maternal Mental Health Collaborative is hosting a Maternal Mental Health Advocacy Day in Tallahassee on Monday, January 29, 2018.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, postpartum depression is the most common, yet also most under-diagnosed, obstetrical complication in our county impacting women, infants and their families. Approximately 40,000 Florida families will be affected by a maternal mental health disorder. Most medical care providers don’t screen for these disorders and if they do, they are unsure of local specialized resources to help care for their patients’ needs. Maternal mental health disorders can occur during pregnancy and up to one year after delivery. This can include mild to severe depression and anxiety; and the less common but very serious postpartum psychosis that presents a need for emergency medical attention.
Since its founding in 2016, the Florida Maternal Mental Health Collaborative has brought together increasing numbers of various professional disciplines, advocates and survivors across the state to partner for positive change in awareness, education and services for maternal mental illnesses.
Partners from across the state will convene in Tallahassee on Monday, January 29 to educate and advocate for attention to these needs addressing postpartum depression and related illnesses. The Florida Families First Act has passed favorably through its first committee appearance, the Senate Health Policy Committee and will now be sent before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services.
State Senator Lauren Book (D-Plantation) today filed legislation (SB 284) that would require nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have working generators. The proposed bill is response to the deaths of eight elderly residents at the Rehabilitation Facility of Hollywood Hills, following air conditioner failure within the facility in Hurricane Irma’s wake.
“There is no excuse for failing to protect those most vulnerable among us,” says Sen. Book, who co-signed a letter to Governor Scott requesting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement open a formal investigation into the tragedy. “The loss of eight lives at Hollywood Hills was completely preventable, and that is what is so heartbreaking about this situation. One of the residents who perished lived to be 99 years old – but because of air conditioning failure and human negligence in the days following a storm, this very special life was lost. We can prevent these things – which never should have happened in the first place – from happening again…and we must, for the sake of our senior citizens and their families.”
If passed, the legislation would add electricity and emergency power sources to unannounced inspections of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, as well as require equipment sufficient to provide adequate day-to-day electricity, a fully operational emergency power source, and a supply of fuel sufficient to sustain the emergency power source for at least five days during a power outage.
The Rehabilitation Facility of Hollywood Hills air conditioning malfunctioned on Sunday and elderly residents had to endure oppressive conditions for three days before an evacuation was conducted.
Sen. Book intends to continue to fight for the health and rights of all citizens – especially senior citizens in the state of Florida, making senior wellbeing a special focus during her term.
“This is just the beginning of a set of essential and long overdue reforms needed to help ensure Florida’s seniors are being cared for in the way we would wish for our own parents, or grandparents,” Sen. Book concludes.
State Senator Lauren Book will be presenting a $1.5 million check to the City of Plantation Fire Station #1 today for the 2017 Appropriation during the City’s council meeting.
Fire Station #1 was established in 1957 to accommodate two small fire units and few part-time volunteers. Though it was later expanded in the 1960s, it was not built to house a full-time staff that works out of the station twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. In its current state, staff is unable to effectively operate out of the station. The City hopes to use the appropriation funds to construct a new fire station.
“Fire Station #1 has been dedicated to serving the residents of Plantation for 60 years,” said Book. “I am honored to have the opportunity to present this check to such a deserving organization.”
The council meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 9th, at 400 NW 73rd Avenue in Plantation.
Legislation sponsored by Senator Lauren Book (D-Plantation) ensuring that babies born in Florida will undergo critical newborn screenings for specified diseases was signed into law today by Governor Rick Scott.
Senate Bill 1124 will ensure that newborns are tested for every disease on the Federal Recommended Uniform Screening Program. The testing, done via blood draw in the hospital shortly after birth, will allow diseases to be detected that would otherwise be missed until life-threatening symptoms present themselves.
The Bill passed the Senate unanimously.
“As medicine, medical testing and medical treatments advance, we are able to do more than ever before to help ensure the health and wellbeing of all – beginning with a simple heel prick after birth,” Senator Book said. “Babies born in Florida will now be tested for every disease on the Federal Recommended Uniform Screening Program (RUSP). Knowing the results of these tests is critical to families facing an illness, ensuring that they have every opportunity to put appropriate, and often life-saving, treatment protocols in place. Thanks to the support of my peers in the Legislature and Governor Rick Scott, this bill – which is now law – will do just that, helping families and medical professionals give babies the healthiest possible start.”
Senator Book was compelled to sponsor the legislation upon hearing touching and tragic stories from families across the state about the dire consequences a late diagnosis can bring – many having lost a child to an illness that could have been treated with early detection through newborn screenings.
“No family should have to go through the heartbreak of losing a child to a treatable illness,” Senator Book said.
An emotional and eye-opening display featuring more than 750 shoes worn and submitted by sexual assault survivors of all ages from across the state of Florida, and accompanying stories, will be decorating the Capitol rotunda April 19-21.
To honor National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention month, Lauren’s Kids and the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence (FCASV) are hosting the display to ask others to “walk in the shoes” of survivors. This awareness event is supported by Senator Lauren Book (D – Plantation) and Representative Kristin Jacobs (D – Coconut Creek). It’s intended to raise awareness and shatter stigmas surrounding sexual violence, as well as give victims, survivors and those affected by this issue a voice at the Capitol — asking others to “walk in their shoes.”
Fifteen child victims, who now consider themselves to be survivors, will be in attendance to ‘unveil’ the display in the Capitol rotunda and speak with legislators, as will members from the organization Bikers Against Child Abuse Florida (BACA) – who will be riding from across Florida to attend.
The shoes displayed include child, adult, male, female, tattered, high-end, and others to illustrate that sexual violence affects Floridians of all ages, genders, races, religions, and socioeconomic statuses. Every 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.
WHO: Senator Lauren Book, Representative Kristin Jacobs, Lauren’s Kids, and the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, as well as young survivors and Bikers Against Child Abuse members
WHAT: “Walk in My Shoes” National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month display unveiling and media opportunity
WHEN: Wednesday, April 19 at 12:30 p.m. (Display will run April 19 – 21)
WHERE: Capitol rotunda
For media: There will be a short program at 12:30 p.m. to provide background on the display; speakers (Sen. Book, Rep. Jacobs, FCASV Executive Director Jennifer Dritt, young survivors, BACA) will be available for one-on-one interviews immediately following the program.
