(1) Counties in which there is established or in existence a comprehensive alcohol and other drug abuse treatment or education program which meets the standards for qualification of such programs by the Department of Children and Families are authorized to establish a County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund for the purpose of receiving the assessments collected pursuant to s. 938.23 and disbursing assistance grants on an annual basis to such alcohol and other drug abuse treatment or education program. (2) Assessments collected by the clerks of court pursuant to s. 938.23 shall be remitted to the board of county commissioners of the county in which the indictment was found or the prosecution commenced for payment into the County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund. The county commissioners shall require a full report from all clerks of county courts and clerks of circuit courts once each month of the amount of assessments imposed by their courts. (3)(a) No county shall receive assessments collected pursuant to s. 938.23 in an amount exceeding that county’s jurisdictional share as described in subsection (2). (b) Assessments collected by clerks of circuit courts having more than one county in the circuit, for any county in the circuit which does not have a County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund, shall be remitted to the Department of Children and Families, in accordance with administrative rules adopted, for deposit into the department’s Grants and Donations Trust Fund for distribution pursuant to the guidelines and priorities developed by the department.
(4) No assessments shall be remitted to a county until the board of county commissioners has submitted documentation to the court substantiating the establishment of its County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund.
(5) If the board of county commissioners chooses to establish a County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund, the board shall be responsible for the establishment of such fund and its implementation, administration, supervision, and evaluation.
(6) In order to receive assistance grants from the County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund, county alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, treatment, or education programs shall be designated by the board of county commissioners as the chosen program recipients. Designations shall be made annually, based on success of the programs.
(7) An alcohol and other drug abuse treatment or education program recipient shall, in seeking assistance grants from the County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund, provide the board of county commissioners with detailed financial information and requests for expenditures.
