Senate Bill sb0210c1
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 210
By the Committee on Children and Families; and Senator Lynn
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1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to suicide prevention; creating
3 s. 397.3335, F.S.; creating the Statewide
4 Office for Suicide Prevention in the Office of
5 Drug Control; providing the goals and
6 objectives of the office; creating the position
7 of statewide coordinator for the statewide
8 office, contingent upon a specific
9 appropriation; specifying the education and
10 experience requirements for the position of
11 coordinator; detailing the duties and
12 responsibilities of the coordinator;
13 authorizing the Statewide Office for Suicide
14 Prevention to seek and accept grants or funds
15 from any source to support its operation;
16 creating s. 397.3336, F.S.; creating the
17 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council within
18 the Office of Drug Control; providing the scope
19 of activities for the coordinating council;
20 creating an interagency workgroup for state
21 agencies within the coordinating council in
22 order to coordinate state agency plans for
23 suicide prevention; authorizing the
24 coordinating council to assemble an ad hoc
25 committee to advise the coordinating council;
26 providing for membership on the coordinating
27 council; providing an effective date.
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29 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 210
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1 Section 1. Section 397.3335, Florida Statutes, is
2 created to read:
3 397.3335 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.--
4 (1)(a) The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention is
5 created in the Office of Drug Control within the Executive
6 Office of the Governor.
7 (b) The statewide office shall develop a network of
8 community-based programs to improve suicide prevention
9 initiatives. The network shall identify and work to eliminate
10 barriers that impede providing suicide prevention services to
11 individuals who are at risk of suicide.
12 (c) The network of community-based programs shall
13 consist of stakeholders advocating suicide prevention,
14 including, but not limited to, not-for-profit suicide
15 prevention organizations, faith-based suicide prevention
16 organizations, law enforcement agencies, first responders to
17 emergency calls, suicide prevention community coalitions,
18 schools and universities, mental health agencies, health care
19 providers, and school personnel.
20 (2) The statewide office shall, within available
21 resources:
22 (a) Implement the statewide plan prepared by the
23 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council;
24 (b) Build a network of community-based programs to
25 integrate suicide prevention initiatives into the programs'
26 activities;
27 (c) Increase public awareness concerning topics
28 relating to suicide prevention;
29 (d) Coordinate education and training curricula in
30 suicide prevention efforts for law enforcement personnel,
31 first responders to emergency calls, health care providers,
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 210
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1 school employees, and other persons who may have contact with
2 persons at risk of suicide; and
3 (e) Direct an interagency workgroup within the Suicide
4 Prevention Coordinating Council to prepare a suicide
5 prevention communication plan among state agencies. The
6 communication plan must be incorporated into the council's
7 statewide plan.
8 (3) Contingent upon a specific appropriation, the
9 director of the Office of Drug Control shall employ a
10 coordinator for the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.
11 Unless waived by the director of the Office of Drug Control,
12 the coordinator must:
13 (a) Have the following education and employment
14 experience:
15 1. A bachelor's degree in social work, psychology,
16 sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely related
17 field and 5 or more years of work experience in behavioral
18 health care or a closely related field; or
19 2. A master's or a doctoral degree in social work,
20 psychology, sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely
21 related field and 2 or more years of work experience in
22 behavioral health or a closely related field.
23 (b) Possess the following skills:
24 1. Significant professional experience in social
25 services, mental health, or a closely related field;
26 2. Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, methods
27 of facilitation, community development, behavioral health
28 treatment and prevention programs, and community-based
29 behavioral health problems;
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1 3. Experience in working with community groups and
2 constituents that are diverse and representative of the
3 gender, ethnic, and racial populations in this state; and
4 4. Experience in writing grant proposals and technical
5 reports.
6 (4) The coordinator shall work under the direction of
7 the director of the Office of Drug Control to achieve the
8 goals and objectives set forth in this section. The
9 coordinator shall:
10 (a) Facilitate an interagency workgroup within the
11 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to integrate state
12 agency programs for suicide prevention into a unified
13 statewide plan;
14 (b) Review local, state, and national suicide
15 prevention programs for examples of innovative suicide
16 prevention models. If innovative models are discovered, the
17 coordinator shall prepare a presentation to describe the
18 feasibility of implementing some or all of the innovation
19 models in this state. The innovative models, and the
20 feasibility of their implementation in this state, shall be
21 evaluated by the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council;
22 (c) Develop and maintain an Internet website with
23 links to appropriate suicide prevention resource documents,
24 suicide hotlines, state and community mental health agencies,
25 and appropriate national suicide prevention organizations;
26 (d) Identify and disseminate information regarding
27 crisis services for suicide prevention;
28 (e) Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention to
29 develop public awareness and media campaigns in each county
30 directed towards persons who are at risk of suicide;
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1 (f) Provide technical assistance to educational
2 activities for residents of this state relating to suicide
3 prevention;
4 (g) Cooperate with school districts to develop
5 training and counseling programs for school-based suicide
6 prevention activities. The coordinator and school districts
7 must also develop a method by which to evaluate each
8 prevention training and counseling program;
9 (h) Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention to
10 develop education and training programs for suicide
11 prevention. The education and training programs must be
12 directed first to persons who have face-to-face contact with
13 individuals who may be at risk of suicide. The training must
14 assist persons to recognize when an individual is at risk of
15 suicide and how to properly refer those individuals to
16 treatment or support services;
17 (i) Review current research data and findings to
18 identify at-risk populations, factors relating to suicide, and
19 suicide prevention activities and disseminate this research to
20 the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to develop
21 strategies for preventing suicide; and
22 (j) Develop and submit proposals to agencies of the
23 state and Federal Government and to nongovernmental
24 organizations for funding suicide prevention activities.
25 (5) The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention may
26 seek and accept grants or funds from any federal, state, or
27 local source to support its operation and defray the expenses
28 incurred in its operation and implementation.
29 Section 2. Section 397.3336, Florida Statutes, is
30 created to read:
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1 397.3336 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council;
2 creation; membership; duties.--There is created within the
3 Office of Drug Control a Suicide Prevention Coordinating
4 Council. The council shall develop strategies for preventing
5 suicide.
6 (1) SCOPE OF ACTIVITY.--The Suicide Prevention
7 Coordinating Council shall:
8 (a) Develop a statewide plan for suicide prevention,
9 with the guiding principle being that suicide is a preventable
10 problem. The statewide plan must:
11 1. Align and provide direction for statewide suicide
12 prevention initiatives;
13 2. Establish partnerships with state and private
14 agencies to promote public awareness of suicide prevention;
15 3. Address specific populations in this state who are
16 at risk for suicide;
17 4. Improve access to help individuals in acute
18 situations; and
19 5. Identify resources to support the implementation of
20 the statewide plan.
21 (b) Create an interagency workgroup within the council
22 in order to incorporate state agency plans for suicide
23 prevention into the statewide plan. The interagency workgroup
24 must include, but need not be limited to:
25 1. The Secretary of Elderly Affairs, or his or her
26 designee;
27 2. The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee;
28 3. The Commissioner of Education, or his or her
29 designee;
30 4. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his
31 or her designee;
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1 5. The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
2 designee;
3 6. The executive director of the Department of Law
4 Enforcement, or his or her designee;
5 7. The Secretary of Children and Family Services, or
6 his or her designee;
7 8. The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her
8 designee;
9 9. The executive director of the Department of
10 Veterans' Affairs, or his or her designee; and
11 10. The director of Workforce Innovation, or his or
12 her designee.
13 (c) Assemble an ad hoc advisory committee with
14 membership from outside the council when necessary in order
15 for the council to receive advice and assistance in carrying
16 out its responsibilities.
17 (d) Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide
18 Prevention.
19 (e) Make findings and recommendations regarding
20 suicide prevention programs and activities. The council shall
21 prepare an annual report and present it to the Governor, the
22 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
23 Representatives by January 1, 2006, and each year thereafter.
24 The annual report must describe the status of existing and
25 planned initiatives identified in the statewide plan for
26 suicide prevention and any recommendations arising therefrom.
27 (2) MEMBERSHIP.--The Suicide Prevention Coordinating
28 Council shall consist of 23 members.
29 (a) Nine members shall be appointed by the director of
30 the Office of Drug Control and shall represent the following
31 organizations:
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 210
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1 1. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation,
2 Inc., described in s. 394.655;
3 2. The Florida Association of School Psychologists;
4 3. The Florida Sheriffs Association;
5 4. The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA;
6 5. The Florida Initiative of Suicide Prevention;
7 6. The Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition;
8 7. The Alzheimer's Association;
9 8. The Florida School Board Association; and
10 9. A representative from Volunteer Florida.
11 (b) The following state officials shall be appointed
12 to the coordinating council:
13 1. The Secretary of Elderly Affairs, or his or her
14 designee;
15 2. The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee;
16 3. The Commissioner of Education, or his or her
17 designee;
18 4. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his
19 or her designee;
20 5. The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
21 designee;
22 6. The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her
23 designee;
24 7. The executive director of the Department of Law
25 Enforcement, or his or her designee;
26 8. The executive director of Veterans' Affairs, or his
27 or her designee;
28 9. The Secretary of Children and Family Services, or
29 his or her designee; and
30 10. The director of Workforce Innovation, or his or
31 her designee.
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1 (c) The Governor shall appoint four additional members
2 to the coordinating council. The appointees must have
3 expertise critical to the prevention of suicide or represent
4 an organization that is not already represented on the
5 coordinating council.
6 (d) Council members shall be appointed to terms of 4
7 years each. Any vacancy on the coordinating council shall be
8 filled in the same manner as the original appointment, and any
9 member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of death,
10 resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall serve only
11 for the unexpired term of the member's predecessor. A member
12 is eligible for reappointment.
13 (e) Members of the coordinating council shall serve
14 without compensation. Any member of the coordinating council
15 who is a public employee is entitled to reimbursement for per
16 diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
17 (3) MEETINGS.--
18 (a) The director of the Office of Drug Control shall
19 be a nonvoting, ex officio member of the coordinating council
20 and shall act as chair.
21 (b) The coordinating council shall meet at least
22 quarterly or upon the call of the chair. The council meetings
23 may be held via teleconference or other electronic means.
24 (c) Public organizations shall participate and
25 cooperate with the coordinating council.
26 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 210
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1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 Senate Bill 210
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4 - Provides that the Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention
may accept grants and other funding to support its
5 operation and defray expenses incurred in its operation
and deletes language authorizing the Suicide Prevention
6 Coordinating Council to seek and accept funding.
7 - Requires that the director of the Agency for Workforce
Innovation, or his or her designee, be included on an
8 interagency workgroup within the Suicide Prevention
Coordinating Council.
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- Provides that a representative from Volunteer Florida,
10 rather than the Governor's mentoring initiative, serve as
a member of the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council.
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- Reduces the number of members appointed by the Governor
12 to the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council from five
to four.
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- Removes the requirement that each organization
14 represented on the Suicide Prevention Coordinating
Council recommend three individuals for appointment to
15 the coordinating council.
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