| 1 | The Future of Florida's Families Committee recommends the |
| 2 | following: |
| 3 |
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| 4 | Council/Committee Substitute |
| 5 | Remove the entire bill and insert: |
| 6 | A bill to be entitled |
| 7 | An act relating to suicide prevention; creating s. |
| 8 | 397.3335, F.S.; creating the Statewide Office for Suicide |
| 9 | Prevention in the Office of Drug Control; providing the |
| 10 | goals and objectives of the office; creating the position |
| 11 | of statewide coordinator for the statewide office, |
| 12 | contingent upon a specific appropriation; specifying the |
| 13 | education and experience requirements for the position of |
| 14 | coordinator; detailing the duties and responsibilities of |
| 15 | the coordinator; authorizing the Statewide Office for |
| 16 | Suicide Prevention to seek and accept grants or funds from |
| 17 | any source to support its operation; creating s. 397.3336, |
| 18 | F.S.; creating the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council |
| 19 | within the Office of Drug Control; providing the scope of |
| 20 | activities for the coordinating council; creating an |
| 21 | interagency workgroup for state agencies within the |
| 22 | coordinating council in order to coordinate state agency |
| 23 | plans for suicide prevention; authorizing the coordinating |
| 24 | council to assemble an ad hoc committee to advise the |
| 25 | coordinating council; requiring a report to the Governor |
| 26 | and Legislature; providing for membership on and meetings |
| 27 | of the coordinating council; providing per diem and travel |
| 28 | expenses for coordinating council members; providing an |
| 29 | appropriation and authorizing a position; providing an |
| 30 | effective date. |
| 31 |
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| 32 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 33 |
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| 34 | Section 1. Section 397.3335, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 35 | to read: |
| 36 | 397.3335 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.-- |
| 37 | (1)(a) The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention is |
| 38 | created in the Office of Drug Control within the Executive |
| 39 | Office of the Governor. |
| 40 | (b) The statewide office shall develop a network of |
| 41 | community-based programs to improve suicide prevention |
| 42 | initiatives. The network shall identify and work to eliminate |
| 43 | barriers that impede providing suicide prevention services to |
| 44 | individuals who are at risk of suicide. |
| 45 | (c) The network of community-based programs shall consist |
| 46 | of stakeholders advocating suicide prevention, including, but |
| 47 | not limited to, not-for-profit suicide prevention organizations, |
| 48 | faith-based suicide prevention organizations, law enforcement |
| 49 | agencies, first responders to emergency calls, suicide |
| 50 | prevention community coalitions, schools and universities, |
| 51 | mental health agencies, substance abuse agencies, health care |
| 52 | providers, and school personnel. |
| 53 | (2) The statewide office shall, within available |
| 54 | resources: |
| 55 | (a) Implement the statewide plan prepared by the Suicide |
| 56 | Prevention Coordinating Council. |
| 57 | (b) Build a network of community-based programs to |
| 58 | integrate suicide prevention initiatives into program |
| 59 | activities. |
| 60 | (c) Increase public awareness concerning topics relating |
| 61 | to suicide prevention. |
| 62 | (d) Coordinate education and training curricula in suicide |
| 63 | prevention efforts for law enforcement personnel, first |
| 64 | responders to emergency calls, health care providers, school |
| 65 | employees, and other persons who may have contact with persons |
| 66 | at risk of suicide. |
| 67 | (e) Direct an interagency workgroup within the Suicide |
| 68 | Prevention Coordinating Council to prepare a suicide prevention |
| 69 | communication plan among state agencies. The communication plan |
| 70 | must be incorporated into the council's statewide plan. |
| 71 | (3) Contingent upon a specific appropriation, the director |
| 72 | of the Office of Drug Control shall employ a coordinator for the |
| 73 | Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention. In selecting the |
| 74 | coordinator, the director of the Office of Drug Control should |
| 75 | consider whether a candidate has: |
| 76 | (a) The following education and employment experience: |
| 77 | 1. A bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, |
| 78 | sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely related field |
| 79 | and 5 or more years of work experience in behavioral health care |
| 80 | or a closely related field. |
| 81 | 2. A master's or a doctoral degree in social work, |
| 82 | psychology, sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely |
| 83 | related field and 2 or more years of work experience in |
| 84 | behavioral health or a closely related field. |
| 85 | (b) The following skills: |
| 86 | 1. Significant professional experience in social services, |
| 87 | mental health, or a closely related field. |
| 88 | 2. Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, methods of |
| 89 | facilitation, community development, behavioral health treatment |
| 90 | and prevention programs, and community-based behavioral health |
| 91 | problems. |
| 92 | 3. Experience in working with community groups and |
| 93 | constituents that are diverse and representative of the gender, |
| 94 | ethnic, and racial populations in this state. |
| 95 | 4. Experience in writing grant proposals and technical |
| 96 | reports. |
| 97 | (4) The coordinator shall work under the direction of the |
| 98 | director of the Office of Drug Control to achieve the goals and |
| 99 | objectives set forth in this section. The coordinator shall: |
| 100 | (a) Facilitate an interagency workgroup within the Suicide |
| 101 | Prevention Coordinating Council to integrate state agency |
| 102 | programs for suicide prevention into a unified statewide plan. |
| 103 | (b) Review local, state, and national suicide prevention |
| 104 | programs for examples of innovative suicide prevention models. |
| 105 | If innovative models are discovered, the coordinator shall |
| 106 | prepare a report to describe the feasibility of implementing |
| 107 | some or all of the innovative models in this state. The report |
| 108 | must be filed with the President of the Senate, the Speaker of |
| 109 | the House of Representatives, and the Suicide Prevention |
| 110 | Coordinating Council after review and approval of the report by |
| 111 | the director of the Office of Drug Control. The innovative |
| 112 | models, and the feasibility of their implementation in this |
| 113 | state, shall be evaluated by the Suicide Prevention Coordinating |
| 114 | Council, which shall file a report with the President of the |
| 115 | Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the |
| 116 | Governor if the council determines that legislation is necessary |
| 117 | to implement an innovative model. |
| 118 | (c) Develop and maintain an Internet website with links to |
| 119 | appropriate suicide prevention resource documents, suicide |
| 120 | hotlines, state and community mental health agencies, and |
| 121 | appropriate national suicide prevention organizations. |
| 122 | (d) Identify and disseminate information regarding crisis |
| 123 | services for suicide prevention. |
| 124 | (e) Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention to |
| 125 | develop public awareness and media campaigns in each county |
| 126 | directed towards persons who are at risk of suicide. |
| 127 | (f) Provide technical assistance to educational activities |
| 128 | for residents of this state relating to suicide prevention. |
| 129 | (g) Cooperate with school districts to develop training |
| 130 | and counseling programs for school-based suicide prevention |
| 131 | activities. The coordinator and school districts must also |
| 132 | develop a method by which to evaluate each prevention training |
| 133 | and counseling program. |
| 134 | (h) Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention to |
| 135 | develop education and training programs for suicide prevention. |
| 136 | The education and training programs must be directed first to |
| 137 | persons who have face-to-face contact with individuals who may |
| 138 | be at risk of suicide. The training must assist persons to |
| 139 | recognize when an individual is at risk of suicide and how to |
| 140 | properly refer those individuals to treatment or support |
| 141 | services. |
| 142 | (i) Review current research data and findings to identify |
| 143 | at-risk populations, factors relating to suicide, and suicide |
| 144 | prevention activities and disseminate this research to the |
| 145 | Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to develop strategies |
| 146 | for preventing suicide. |
| 147 | (j) Develop and submit proposals to agencies of the state, |
| 148 | the Federal Government, and nongovernmental organizations for |
| 149 | funding suicide prevention activities. |
| 150 | (5) The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention may seek |
| 151 | and accept grants or funds from any federal, state, or local |
| 152 | source to support its operation and defray the expenses incurred |
| 153 | in its operation and implementation. |
| 154 | Section 2. Section 397.3336, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 155 | to read: |
| 156 | 397.3336 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council; |
| 157 | creation; membership; duties.--There is created within the |
| 158 | Office of Drug Control a Suicide Prevention Coordinating |
| 159 | Council. The council shall develop strategies for preventing |
| 160 | suicide. |
| 161 | (1) SCOPE OF ACTIVITY.--The Suicide Prevention |
| 162 | Coordinating Council is a coordinating council as defined in s. |
| 163 | 20.03(9) and shall: |
| 164 | (a) Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention |
| 165 | regarding the development of a statewide plan for suicide |
| 166 | prevention, with the guiding principle being that suicide is a |
| 167 | preventable problem. The statewide plan must: |
| 168 | 1. Align and provide direction for statewide suicide |
| 169 | prevention initiatives. |
| 170 | 2. Establish partnerships with state and private agencies |
| 171 | to promote public awareness of suicide prevention. |
| 172 | 3. Address specific populations in this state who are at |
| 173 | risk for suicide. |
| 174 | 4. Improve access to help individuals in acute situations. |
| 175 | 5. Identify resources to support the implementation of the |
| 176 | statewide plan. |
| 177 | (b) Create an interagency workgroup within the council in |
| 178 | order to incorporate state agency plans for suicide prevention |
| 179 | into the statewide plan. The interagency workgroup must include, |
| 180 | but need not be limited to: |
| 181 | 1. The Secretary of Elderly Affairs, or his or her |
| 182 | designee. |
| 183 | 2. The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee. |
| 184 | 3. The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee. |
| 185 | 4. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or |
| 186 | her designee. |
| 187 | 5. The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her |
| 188 | designee. |
| 189 | 6. The executive director of the Department of Law |
| 190 | Enforcement, or his or her designee. |
| 191 | 7. The Secretary of Children and Family Services, or his |
| 192 | or her designee. |
| 193 | 8. The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee. |
| 194 | 9. The executive director of the Department of Veterans' |
| 195 | Affairs, or his or her designee. |
| 196 | 10. The director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation, |
| 197 | or his or her designee. |
| 198 | (c) Assemble an ad hoc advisory committee with membership |
| 199 | from outside the council when necessary in order for the council |
| 200 | to receive advice and assistance in carrying out its |
| 201 | responsibilities. |
| 202 | (d) Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention. |
| 203 | (e) Make findings and recommendations regarding suicide |
| 204 | prevention programs and activities. The council shall prepare an |
| 205 | annual report and present it to the Governor, the President of |
| 206 | the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by |
| 207 | January 1, 2007, and each year thereafter. The annual report |
| 208 | must describe the status of existing and planned initiatives |
| 209 | identified in the statewide plan for suicide prevention and any |
| 210 | recommendations arising therefrom. |
| 211 | (2) MEMBERSHIP.--The Suicide Prevention Coordinating |
| 212 | Council shall consist of 26 members. |
| 213 | (a) Twelve members shall be appointed by the director of |
| 214 | the Office of Drug Control and shall represent the following |
| 215 | organizations: |
| 216 | 1. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation, |
| 217 | Inc., described in s. 394.655. |
| 218 | 2. The Florida Association of School Psychologists. |
| 219 | 3. The Florida Sheriffs Association. |
| 220 | 4. The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA. |
| 221 | 5. The Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention. |
| 222 | 6. The Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition. |
| 223 | 7. The Alzheimer's Association. |
| 224 | 8. The Florida School Board Association. |
| 225 | 9. Volunteer Florida, Inc. |
| 226 | 10. Florida AARP. |
| 227 | 11. The Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association. |
| 228 | 12. The Florida Counseling Association. |
| 229 | (b) The following state officials shall be appointed to |
| 230 | the coordinating council: |
| 231 | 1. The Secretary of Elderly Affairs, or his or her |
| 232 | designee. |
| 233 | 2. The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee. |
| 234 | 3. The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee. |
| 235 | 4. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or |
| 236 | her designee. |
| 237 | 5. The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her |
| 238 | designee. |
| 239 | 6. The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee. |
| 240 | 7. The executive director of the Department of Law |
| 241 | Enforcement, or his or her designee. |
| 242 | 8. The executive director of the Department of Veterans' |
| 243 | Affairs, or his or her designee. |
| 244 | 9. The Secretary of Children and Family Services, or his |
| 245 | or her designee. |
| 246 | 10. The director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation, |
| 247 | or his or her designee. |
| 248 | (c) The Governor shall appoint four additional members to |
| 249 | the coordinating council. The appointees must have expertise |
| 250 | critical to the prevention of suicide or represent an |
| 251 | organization that is not already represented on the coordinating |
| 252 | council. |
| 253 | (d) Council members shall be appointed to terms of 4 years |
| 254 | each. Any vacancy on the coordinating council shall be filled in |
| 255 | the same manner as the original appointment, and any member |
| 256 | appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of death, |
| 257 | resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall serve only |
| 258 | for the unexpired term of the member's predecessor. A member is |
| 259 | eligible for reappointment. |
| 260 | (e) Members of the coordinating council shall serve |
| 261 | without compensation. Any member of the coordinating council who |
| 262 | is a public employee is entitled to reimbursement for per diem |
| 263 | and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. |
| 264 | (3) MEETINGS.-- |
| 265 | (a) The director of the Office of Drug Control shall be a |
| 266 | nonvoting, ex officio member of the coordinating council and |
| 267 | shall act as chair. |
| 268 | (b) The coordinating council shall meet at least quarterly |
| 269 | or upon the call of the chair. The council meetings may be held |
| 270 | via teleconference or other electronic means. |
| 271 | (c) Public organizations shall participate and cooperate |
| 272 | with the coordinating council. |
| 273 | Section 3. One full-time equivalent position is authorized |
| 274 | and the sum of $100,000 is appropriated from the General Revenue |
| 275 | Fund to the Office of Drug Control for the purpose of |
| 276 | implementing this act during the 2006-2007 fiscal year. |
| 277 | Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |