HB 0447

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to suicide prevention; creating s.
3	397.3335, F.S.; creating the Statewide Office for Suicide
4	Prevention in the Office of Drug Control; providing the
5	goals and objectives of the office; creating the position
6	of statewide coordinator for the statewide office,
7	contingent upon a specific appropriation; specifying the
8	education and experience requirements for the position of
9	coordinator; detailing the duties and responsibilities of
10	the coordinator; authorizing the Statewide Office for
11	Suicide Prevention to seek and accept grants or funds from
12	any source to support its operation; creating s. 397.3336,
13	F.S.; creating the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council
14	within the Office of Drug Control; providing the scope of
15	activities for the coordinating council; creating an
16	interagency workgroup for state agencies within the
17	coordinating council in order to coordinate state agency
18	plans for suicide prevention; authorizing the coordinating
19	council to assemble an ad hoc committee to advise the
20	coordinating council; providing for membership on the
21	coordinating council; providing an effective date.
22
23	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
24
25	Section 1.  Section 397.3335, Florida Statutes, is created
26	to read:
27	397.3335  Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.--
28	(1)(a)  The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention is
29	created in the Office of Drug Control within the Executive
30	Office of the Governor.
31	(b)  The statewide office shall develop a network of
32	community-based programs to improve suicide prevention
33	initiatives. The network shall identify and work to eliminate
34	barriers that impede providing suicide prevention services to
35	individuals who are at risk of suicide.
36	(c)  The network of community-based programs shall consist
37	of stakeholders advocating suicide prevention, including, but
38	not limited to, not-for-profit suicide prevention organizations,
39	faith-based suicide prevention organizations, law enforcement
40	agencies, first responders to emergency calls, suicide
41	prevention community coalitions, schools and universities,
42	mental health agencies, substance abuse agencies, health care
43	providers, and school personnel.
44	(2)  The statewide office shall, within available
45	resources:
46	(a)  Implement the statewide plan prepared by the Suicide
47	Prevention Coordinating Council.
48	(b)  Build a network of community-based programs to
49	integrate suicide prevention initiatives into the programs'
50	activities.
51	(c)  Increase public awareness concerning topics relating
52	to suicide prevention.
53	(d)  Coordinate education and training curricula in suicide
54	prevention efforts for law enforcement personnel, first
55	responders to emergency calls, health care providers, school
56	employees, and other persons who may have contact with persons
57	at risk of suicide.
58	(e)  Direct an interagency workgroup within the Suicide
59	Prevention Coordinating Council to prepare a suicide prevention
60	communication plan among state agencies. The communication plan
61	must be incorporated into the council's statewide plan.
62	(3)  Contingent upon a specific appropriation, the director
63	of the Office of Drug Control shall employ a coordinator for the
64	Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention. In selecting the
65	coordinator, the director of the Office of Drug Control should
66	consider whether a candidate has:
67	(a)  The following education and employment experience:
68	1.  A bachelor's degree in social work, psychology,
69	sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely related field
70	and 5 or more years of work experience in behavioral health care
71	or a closely related field.
72	2.  A master's or a doctoral degree in social work,
73	psychology, sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely
74	related field and 2 or more years of work experience in
75	behavioral health or a closely related field.
76	(b)  The following skills:
77	1.  Significant professional experience in social services,
78	mental health, or a closely related field.
79	2.  Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, methods of
80	facilitation, community development, behavioral health treatment
81	and prevention programs, and community-based behavioral health
82	problems.
83	3.  Experience in working with community groups and
84	constituents that are diverse and representative of the gender,
85	ethnic, and racial populations in this state.
86	4.  Experience in writing grant proposals and technical
87	reports.
88	(4)  The coordinator shall work under the direction of the
89	director of the Office of Drug Control to achieve the goals and
90	objectives set forth in this section. The coordinator shall:
91	(a)  Facilitate an interagency workgroup within the Suicide
92	Prevention Coordinating Council to integrate state agency
93	programs for suicide prevention into a unified statewide plan.
94	(b)  Review local, state, and national suicide prevention
95	programs for examples of innovative suicide prevention models.
96	If innovative models are discovered, the coordinator shall
97	prepare a report to describe the feasibility of implementing
98	some or all of the innovative models in this state. The report
99	must be filed with the President of the Senate, the Speaker of
100	the House of Representatives, and the Suicide Prevention
101	Coordinating Council after review and approval of the report by
102	the director of the Office of Drug Control. The innovative
103	models, and the feasibility of their implementation in this
104	state, shall be evaluated by the Suicide Prevention Coordinating
105	Council, which shall file a report with the President of the
106	Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
107	Governor if the council determines that legislation is necessary
108	to implement an innovative model.
109	(c)  Develop and maintain an Internet website with links to
110	appropriate suicide prevention resource documents, suicide
111	hotlines, state and community mental health agencies, and
112	appropriate national suicide prevention organizations.
113	(d)  Identify and disseminate information regarding crisis
114	services for suicide prevention.
115	(e)  Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention to
116	develop public awareness and media campaigns in each county
117	directed towards persons who are at risk of suicide.
118	(f)  Provide technical assistance to educational activities
119	for residents of this state relating to suicide prevention.
120	(g)  Cooperate with school districts to develop training
121	and counseling programs for school-based suicide prevention
122	activities. The coordinator and school districts must also
123	develop a method by which to evaluate each prevention training
124	and counseling program.
125	(h)  Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention to
126	develop education and training programs for suicide prevention.
127	The education and training programs must be directed first to
128	persons who have face-to-face contact with individuals who may
129	be at risk of suicide. The training must assist persons to
130	recognize when an individual is at risk of suicide and how to
131	properly refer those individuals to treatment or support
132	services.
133	(i)  Review current research data and findings to identify
134	at-risk populations, factors relating to suicide, and suicide
135	prevention activities and disseminate this research to the
136	Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to develop strategies
137	for preventing suicide.
138	(j)  Develop and submit proposals to agencies of the state
139	and Federal Government and to nongovernmental organizations for
140	funding suicide prevention activities.
141	(5)  The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention may seek
142	and accept grants or funds from any federal, state, or local
143	source to support its operation and defray the expenses incurred
144	in its operation and implementation.
145	Section 2.  Section 397.3336, Florida Statutes, is created
146	to read:
147	397.3336  Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council;
148	creation; membership; duties.--There is created within the
149	Office of Drug Control a Suicide Prevention Coordinating
150	Council. The council shall develop strategies for preventing
151	suicide.
152	(1)  SCOPE OF ACTIVITY.--The Suicide Prevention
153	Coordinating Council is a council as defined in s. 20.03(9) and
154	shall:
155	(a)  Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention
156	regarding the development of a statewide plan for suicide
157	prevention, with the guiding principle being that suicide is a
158	preventable problem. The statewide plan must:
159	1.  Align and provide direction for statewide suicide
160	prevention initiatives.
161	2.  Establish partnerships with state and private agencies
162	to promote public awareness of suicide prevention.
163	3.  Address specific populations in this state who are at
164	risk for suicide.
165	4.  Improve access to help individuals in acute situations.
166	5.  Identify resources to support the implementation of the
167	statewide plan.
168	(b)  Create an interagency workgroup within the council in
169	order to incorporate state agency plans for suicide prevention
170	into the statewide plan. The interagency workgroup must include,
171	but need not be limited to:
172	1.  The Secretary of Elderly Affairs, or his or her
173	designee.
174	2.  The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee.
175	3.  The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
176	4.  The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or
177	her designee.
178	5.  The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
179	designee.
180	6.  The executive director of the Department of Law
181	Enforcement, or his or her designee.
182	7.  The Secretary of Children and Family Services, or his
183	or her designee.
184	8.  The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
185	9.  The executive director of the Department of Veterans'
186	Affairs, or his or her designee.
187	10.  The director of Workforce Innovation, or his or her
188	designee.
189	(c)  Assemble an ad hoc advisory committee with membership
190	from outside the council when necessary in order for the council
191	to receive advice and assistance in carrying out its
192	responsibilities.
193	(d)  Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.
194	(e)  Make findings and recommendations regarding suicide
195	prevention programs and activities. The council shall prepare an
196	annual report and present it to the Governor, the President of
197	the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
198	January 1, 2006, and each year thereafter. The annual report
199	must describe the status of existing and planned initiatives
200	identified in the statewide plan for suicide prevention and any
201	recommendations arising therefrom.
202	(2)  MEMBERSHIP.--The Suicide Prevention Coordinating
203	Council shall consist of 25 members.
204	(a)  Eleven members shall be appointed by the director of
205	the Office of Drug Control and shall represent the following
206	organizations:
207	1.  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation,
208	Inc., described in s. 394.655.
209	2.  The Florida Association of School Psychologists.
210	3.  The Florida Sheriffs Association.
211	4.  The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA.
212	5.  The Florida Initiative of Suicide Prevention.
213	6.  The Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition.
214	7.  The Alzheimer's Association.
215	8.  The Florida School Board Association.
216	9.  A representative from Volunteer Florida.
217	10.  The state chapter of AARP.
218	11.  The Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.
219	(b)  The following state officials shall be appointed to
220	the coordinating council:
221	1.  The Secretary of Elderly Affairs, or his or her
222	designee.
223	2.  The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee.
224	3.  The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
225	4.  The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or
226	her designee.
227	5.  The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
228	designee.
229	6.  The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
230	7.  The executive director of the Department of Law
231	Enforcement, or his or her designee.
232	8.  The executive director of the Department of Veterans'
233	Affairs, or his or her designee.
234	9.  The Secretary of Children and Family Services, or his
235	or her designee.
236	10.  The director of Workforce Innovation, or his or her
237	designee.
238	(c)  The Governor shall appoint four additional members to
239	the coordinating council. The appointees must have expertise
240	critical to the prevention of suicide or represent an
241	organization that is not already represented on the coordinating
242	council.
243	(d)  Council members shall be appointed to terms of 4 years
244	each. Any vacancy on the coordinating council shall be filled in
245	the same manner as the original appointment, and any member
246	appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of death,
247	resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall serve only
248	for the unexpired term of the member's predecessor. A member is
249	eligible for reappointment.
250	(e)  Members of the coordinating council shall serve
251	without compensation. Any member of the coordinating council who
252	is a public employee is entitled to reimbursement for per diem
253	and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
254	(3)  MEETINGS.--
255	(a)  The director of the Office of Drug Control shall be a
256	nonvoting, ex officio member of the coordinating council and
257	shall act as chair.
258	(b)  The coordinating council shall meet at least quarterly
259	or upon the call of the chair. The council meetings may be held
260	via teleconference or other electronic means.
261	(c)  Public organizations shall participate and cooperate
262	with the coordinating council.
263	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.