Senate Bill sb1008c1
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
By the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Productivity;
and Senators Lynn, King, Dockery, Campbell, Rich and Margolis
585-1905-06
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to suicide prevention; creating
3 s. 14.2019, F.S.; creating the Statewide Office
4 for Suicide Prevention as a unit of the Office
5 of Drug Control in the Executive Office of the
6 Governor; providing the goals and objectives of
7 the office; creating the position of statewide
8 coordinator for the statewide office,
9 contingent upon a specific appropriation;
10 specifying the education and experience
11 requirements for the position of coordinator;
12 detailing the duties and responsibilities of
13 the coordinator; authorizing the Statewide
14 Office for Suicide Prevention to seek and
15 accept grants or funds from any source to
16 support its operation; creating s. 14.20195,
17 F.S.; creating the Suicide Prevention
18 Coordinating Council within the Statewide
19 Office for Suicide Prevention; providing the
20 scope of activities for the coordinating
21 council; creating an interagency workgroup for
22 state agencies within the coordinating council
23 in order to coordinate state agency plans for
24 suicide prevention; authorizing the
25 coordinating council to assemble an ad hoc
26 committee to advise the coordinating council;
27 providing for membership on the coordinating
28 council; authorizing the council to accept
29 grants and other funding; providing an
30 appropriation and authorizing an additional
31 position; providing an effective date.
1
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
585-1905-06
1 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
2
3 Section 1. Section 14.2019, Florida Statutes, is
4 created to read:
5 14.2019 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.--
6 (1) The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention is
7 created as a unit of the Office of Drug Control within the
8 Executive Office of the Governor.
9 (2) The statewide office shall, within available
10 resources:
11 (a) Develop a network of community-based programs to
12 improve suicide-prevention initiatives. The network shall
13 identify and work to eliminate barriers that impede providing
14 suicide-prevention services to individuals who are at risk of
15 suicide. The network shall consist of stakeholders advocating
16 suicide prevention, including, but not limited to,
17 not-for-profit suicide-prevention organizations, faith-based
18 suicide-prevention organizations, law enforcement agencies,
19 first responders to emergency calls, suicide-prevention
20 community coalitions, schools and universities, mental health
21 agencies, substance-abuse treatment agencies, health care
22 providers, and school personnel.
23 (b) Implement the statewide plan prepared by the
24 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council.
25 (c) Increase public awareness concerning topics
26 relating to suicide prevention.
27 (d) Coordinate education and training curricula in
28 suicide-prevention efforts for law enforcement personnel,
29 first responders to emergency calls, health care providers,
30 school employees, and other persons who may have contact with
31 persons at risk of suicide.
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
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1 (3) Contingent upon a specific appropriation, a
2 coordinator shall be employed for the Statewide Office for
3 Suicide Prevention. In selecting the coordinator, it should be
4 considered whether a candidate has:
5 (a) The following education and employment experience:
6 1. A bachelor's degree in social work, psychology,
7 sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely related
8 field and 5 or more years of work experience in behavioral
9 health care or a closely related field.
10 2. A master's or a doctoral degree in social work,
11 psychology, sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely
12 related field and 2 or more years of work experience in
13 behavioral health or a closely related field.
14 (b) The following skills:
15 1. Significant professional experience in social
16 services, mental health, or a closely related field.
17 2. Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, methods
18 of facilitation, community development, behavioral health
19 treatment and prevention programs, and community-based
20 behavioral health problems.
21 3. Experience in working with individuals and groups
22 that are representative of the ethnic and racial diversity of
23 the state.
24 4. Experience in writing grant proposals and technical
25 reports.
26 (4) The coordinator shall:
27 (a) Work with the state agencies that are members of
28 the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to integrate state
29 agency programs for suicide prevention into a unified
30 statewide plan. The unified statewide plan must include a
31 suicide-prevention communication plan among state agencies.
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
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1 (b) Review local, state, and national
2 suicide-prevention programs for examples of innovative
3 suicide-prevention models. If innovative models are
4 discovered, the coordinator shall prepare a report to describe
5 the feasibility of implementing some or all of the innovative
6 models in this state. The report must be submitted to the
7 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council.
8 (c) Develop and maintain an Internet website that has
9 links to appropriate suicide-prevention resource documents,
10 suicide hotlines, state and community mental health agencies,
11 and appropriate national suicide-prevention organizations.
12 (d) Identify and disseminate information regarding
13 crisis services for suicide prevention.
14 (e) Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention in
15 order to:
16 1. Develop public awareness and media campaigns in
17 each county directed towards persons who are at risk of
18 suicide.
19 2. Develop education and training programs for suicide
20 prevention. The education and training programs must be
21 directed first to persons who have face-to-face contact with
22 individuals who may be at risk of suicide. The training must
23 assist persons to recognize when an individual is at risk of
24 suicide and how to properly refer those individuals to
25 treatment or support services.
26 (f) Provide technical assistance to educational
27 activities for residents of this state relating to suicide
28 prevention.
29 (g) Cooperate with school districts to develop
30 training and counseling programs for school-based
31 suicide-prevention activities. The coordinator and school
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
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1 districts must also develop a method by which to evaluate each
2 prevention training and counseling program.
3 (h) Review current research data and findings to
4 identify at-risk populations, factors relating to suicide, and
5 suicide-prevention activities and disseminate this research to
6 the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to develop
7 strategies for preventing suicide.
8 (i) Develop and submit proposals to agencies of the
9 state and federal governments and to nongovernmental
10 organizations for funding suicide-prevention activities.
11 (5) The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention may
12 seek and accept grants or funds from any federal, state, or
13 local source to support the operation and defray the
14 authorized expenses of the office and the Suicide Prevention
15 Coordinating Council.
16 (6) Agencies under the control of the Governor or the
17 Governor and Cabinet are directed, and all others are
18 encouraged, to provide information and support to the
19 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention as requested.
20 Section 2. Section 14.20195, Florida Statutes, is
21 created to read:
22 14.20195 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council;
23 creation; membership; duties.--There is created within the
24 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention a Suicide Prevention
25 Coordinating Council. The council shall develop strategies for
26 preventing suicide.
27 (1) SCOPE OF ACTIVITY.--The Suicide Prevention
28 Coordinating Council is a coordinating council as defined in
29 s. 20.03(9) and shall:
30 (a) Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention
31 regarding the development of a statewide plan for suicide
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
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1 prevention, with the guiding principle being that suicide is a
2 preventable problem. The statewide plan must:
3 1. Align and provide direction for statewide
4 suicide-prevention initiatives.
5 2. Establish partnerships with state and private
6 agencies to promote public awareness of suicide prevention.
7 3. Address specific populations in this state who are
8 at risk for suicide.
9 4. Improve access to help individuals in acute
10 situations.
11 5. Identify resources to support the implementation of
12 the statewide plan.
13 (b) 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 (c) Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide
18 Prevention.
19 (d) 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, 2007, 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 It shall also include information about any innovative models
28 identified in accordance with s. 14.2019(4)(b) for which
29 legislative action may be required for implementation.
30 (2) MEMBERSHIP.--The Suicide Prevention Coordinating
31 Council shall consist of 26 members.
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
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1 (a) Thirteen members shall be appointed by the
2 director of the Office of Drug Control and shall represent the
3 following organizations:
4 1. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation,
5 Inc., described in s. 394.655.
6 2. The Florida Association of School Psychologists.
7 3. The Florida Sheriffs Association.
8 4. The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA.
9 5. The Florida Initiative of Suicide Prevention.
10 6. The Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition.
11 7. The Alzheimer's Association.
12 8. The Florida School Board Association.
13 9. Volunteer Florida.
14 10. The state chapter of AARP.
15 11. The Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.
16 12. The Florida Council for Community Mental Health.
17 13. The Florida Counseling Association.
18 (b) The following state officials or their designees
19 shall serve on the coordinating council:
20 1. The Secretary of Elderly Affairs.
21 2. The Secretary of Health.
22 3. The Commissioner of Education.
23 4. The Secretary of Health Care Administration.
24 5. The Secretary of Juvenile Justice.
25 6. The Secretary of Corrections.
26 7. The executive director of the Department of Law
27 Enforcement.
28 8. The executive director of the Department of
29 Veterans' Affairs.
30 9. The Secretary of Children and Family Services.
31 10. The director of Workforce Innovation.
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
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1 (c) The Governor shall appoint three additional
2 members 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) For the members appointed by the director of the
7 Office of Drug Control, six members shall be appointed to
8 initial terms of 3 years and seven members shall be appointed
9 to initial terms of 4 years. For the members appointed by the
10 Governor, two members shall be appointed to initial terms of 4
11 years and one member shall be appointed to an initial term of
12 3 years. Thereafter, such members shall serve for terms of 4
13 years. Any vacancy on the coordinating council shall be filled
14 in the same manner as the original appointment, and any member
15 appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of death,
16 resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall serve only
17 for the unexpired term of the member's predecessor. A member
18 is eligible for reappointment.
19 (e) The director of the Office of Drug Control shall
20 be a nonvoting member of the coordinating council and shall
21 act as chair.
22 (f) Members of the coordinating council shall serve
23 without compensation. Any member of the coordinating council
24 who is a public employee is entitled to reimbursement for per
25 diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
26 (3) MEETINGS.--The coordinating council shall meet at
27 least quarterly or upon the call of the chair. The council
28 meetings may be held via teleconference or other electronic
29 means.
30 Section 3. The sum of $100,000 is appropriated from
31 the General Revenue Fund, and one additional full-time
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1008
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1 equivalent position is authorized, to the Office of Drug
2 Control for the purpose of implementing this act during the
3 2006-2007 fiscal year.
4 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.
5
6 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
7 SB 1008
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9 Provides that the Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention is a
unit of the Office of Drug Control in the Executive Office of
10 the Governor.
11 Provides that the office, and not the coordinating council, is
authorized to solicit funds and grants.
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