Overview

The Daily Living Activities-20 (DLA-20) is a reliable, evidence-based functional assessment tool designed for use by behavioral health providers with individuals aged 6 years through adulthood, regardless of diagnosis. It assesses the impact of mental health symptoms and substance use on an individual's ability to perform essential daily living activities.

By evaluating 20 distinct functional areas, the DLA-20 provides:

• Behavioral health criteria that support evidence-based treatment planning
• A standardized method to track progress and recovery over time
• Measurable outcomes that clearly demonstrate the value and effectiveness of care
• Support for person-centered and strengths-based approaches to recovery and wellbeing

This tool helps bridge the gap between clinical symptoms and real-world functioning, ensuring services are both targeted and meaningful in promoting long-term recovery.

The DLA-20 is administered by trained professionals through a clinical interview to assess an individual's functional capabilities in areas of daily living, over the past 30 days. The process involves gathering information, conducting the interview, scoring the assessment, and interpreting the results to identify strengths and needs. Specialized training is essential for administering the DLA-20 accurately. 

The administration process includes:

• Information gathering (e.g., chart review, collateral input)
• Conducting the clinical interview
• Scoring the assessment based on observable behaviors
• Interpreting the results to identify both functional strengths and areas of need

To ensure accuracy, consistency, and reliability, specialized training is required for professionals who administer the DLA-20. This training supports appropriate use of the tool and enhances the quality of care by guiding evidence-based treatment planning and monitoring of outcomes.

View DLA-20 Training Schedule

Benefits of the DLA-20

The Daily Living Activities-20 (DLA-20) is an evidence-based assessment tool that enhances recovery-oriented care and strengthens service delivery at multiple levels of the behavioral health system:

For Individuals:

• Supports the development and achievement of personal recovery goals
• Promotes long-term stability, independence, and quality of life
• Enhances engagement in services by focusing on functional daily living skills and coping strategies

For Providers:

• Increases the accuracy of identifying functional needs and barriers
• Supports comprehensive treatment planning and appropriate level-of-care determinations
• Strengthens clinical documentation for accountability, utilization review, and quality assurance

For Systems of Care:

• Offers an objective, standardized method to monitor progress and outcomes over time
• Promotes consistent assessment practices across programs and providers
• Improves interagency communication and care coordination
• Demonstrates measurable outcomes to insurers, funders, and accrediting bodies, reinforcing the value of behavioral health services

To support implementation, the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) will offer DLA-20 training sessions for behavioral health providers. Dates are to be determined, and training will specifically focus on the use of the DLA-20 within adult mental health and adult alcohol and drug services.

These sessions will provide essential guidance on:

• Proper administration of the DLA-20
• Accurate scoring and interpretation
• Integration of assessment results into person-centered treatment planning
• Using DLA-20 data to support outcomes reporting and system-level improvements

By incorporating the DLA-20 into clinical practice, providers not only enhance individual treatment outcomes but also help advance SAMH’s mission of promoting quality care, accountability, and collaborative service delivery across Florida’s public behavioral health system.

Statutory Requirement for Use of the DLA-20

Florida law requires the use of the Daily Living Activities-20 (DLA-20) Functional Assessment in certain behavioral health services.

• Section 394.457(3), F.S. – Requires providers to use the most current version of the DLA-20 unless the Department of Children and Families specifies an alternative tool through rule.
• Section 394.495(2), F.S. – Within the children’s and adolescent mental health system of care, use of the most recent version of the DLA-20 functional assessment tool by providers is required, unless the Department specifies in rule the use of a different assessment tool.
• Section 394.9082(5), F.S. – Within the behavioral health managing entity networks, use of the most recent version of the DLA-20 functional assessment tool by all providers under contract with the managing entity is required, unless the Department specifies in rule the use of a different assessment tool.