HB 527

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; requiring a report to the Governor
21	and Legislature; providing for membership on and meetings
22	of the coordinating council; providing per diem and travel
23	expenses for coordinating council members; providing an
24	appropriation and authorizing a position; providing an
25	effective date.
26
27	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29	Section 1.  Section 397.3335, Florida Statutes, is created
30	to read:
31	397.3335  Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.--
32	(1)(a)  The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention is
33	created in the Office of Drug Control within the Executive
34	Office of the Governor.
35	(b)  The statewide office shall develop a network of
36	community-based programs to improve suicide prevention
37	initiatives. The network shall identify and work to eliminate
38	barriers that impede providing suicide prevention services to
39	individuals who are at risk of suicide.
40	(c)  The network of community-based programs shall consist
41	of stakeholders advocating suicide prevention, including, but
42	not limited to, not-for-profit suicide prevention organizations,
43	faith-based suicide prevention organizations, law enforcement
44	agencies, first responders to emergency calls, suicide
45	prevention community coalitions, schools and universities,
46	mental health agencies, substance abuse agencies, health care
47	providers, and school personnel.
48	(2)  The statewide office shall, within available
49	resources:
50	(a)  Implement the statewide plan prepared by the Suicide
51	Prevention Coordinating Council.
52	(b)  Build a network of community-based programs to
53	integrate suicide prevention initiatives into program
54	activities.
55	(c)  Increase public awareness concerning topics relating
56	to suicide prevention.
57	(d)  Coordinate education and training curricula in suicide
58	prevention efforts for law enforcement personnel, first
59	responders to emergency calls, health care providers, school
60	employees, and other persons who may have contact with persons
61	at risk of suicide.
62	(e)  Direct an interagency workgroup within the Suicide
63	Prevention Coordinating Council to prepare a suicide prevention
64	communication plan among state agencies. The communication plan
65	must be incorporated into the council's statewide plan.
66	(3)  Contingent upon a specific appropriation, the director
67	of the Office of Drug Control shall employ a coordinator for the
68	Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention. In selecting the
69	coordinator, the director of the Office of Drug Control should
70	consider whether a candidate has:
71	(a)  The following education and employment experience:
72	1.  A bachelor's degree in social work, psychology,
73	sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely related field
74	and 5 or more years of work experience in behavioral health care
75	or a closely related field.
76	2.  A master's or a doctoral degree in social work,
77	psychology, sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely
78	related field and 2 or more years of work experience in
79	behavioral health or a closely related field.
80	(b)  The following skills:
81	1.  Significant professional experience in social services,
82	mental health, or a closely related field.
83	2.  Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, methods of
84	facilitation, community development, behavioral health treatment
85	and prevention programs, and community-based behavioral health
86	problems.
87	3.  Experience in working with community groups and
88	constituents that are diverse and representative of the gender,
89	ethnic, and racial populations in this state.
90	4.  Experience in writing grant proposals and technical
91	reports.
92	(4)  The coordinator shall work under the direction of the
93	director of the Office of Drug Control to achieve the goals and
94	objectives set forth in this section. The coordinator shall:
95	(a)  Facilitate an interagency workgroup within the Suicide
96	Prevention Coordinating Council to integrate state agency
97	programs for suicide prevention into a unified statewide plan.
98	(b)  Review local, state, and national suicide prevention
99	programs for examples of innovative suicide prevention models.
100	If innovative models are discovered, the coordinator shall
101	prepare a report to describe the feasibility of implementing
102	some or all of the innovative models in this state. The report
103	must be filed with the President of the Senate, the Speaker of
104	the House of Representatives, and the Suicide Prevention
105	Coordinating Council after review and approval of the report by
106	the director of the Office of Drug Control. The innovative
107	models, and the feasibility of their implementation in this
108	state, shall be evaluated by the Suicide Prevention Coordinating
109	Council, which shall file a report with the President of the
110	Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
111	Governor if the council determines that legislation is necessary
112	to implement an innovative model.
113	(c)  Develop and maintain an Internet website with links to
114	appropriate suicide prevention resource documents, suicide
115	hotlines, state and community mental health agencies, and
116	appropriate national suicide prevention organizations.
117	(d)  Identify and disseminate information regarding crisis
118	services for suicide prevention.
119	(e)  Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention to
120	develop public awareness and media campaigns in each county
121	directed towards persons who are at risk of suicide.
122	(f)  Provide technical assistance to educational activities
123	for residents of this state relating to suicide prevention.
124	(g)  Cooperate with school districts to develop training
125	and counseling programs for school-based suicide prevention
126	activities. The coordinator and school districts must also
127	develop a method by which to evaluate each prevention training
128	and counseling program.
129	(h)  Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention to
130	develop education and training programs for suicide prevention.
131	The education and training programs must be directed first to
132	persons who have face-to-face contact with individuals who may
133	be at risk of suicide. The training must assist persons to
134	recognize when an individual is at risk of suicide and how to
135	properly refer those individuals to treatment or support
136	services.
137	(i)  Review current research data and findings to identify
138	at-risk populations, factors relating to suicide, and suicide
139	prevention activities and disseminate this research to the
140	Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to develop strategies
141	for preventing suicide.
142	(j)  Develop and submit proposals to agencies of the state,
143	the Federal Government, and nongovernmental organizations for
144	funding suicide prevention activities.
145	(5)  The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention may seek
146	and accept grants or funds from any federal, state, or local
147	source to support its operation and defray the expenses incurred
148	in its operation and implementation.
149	Section 2.  Section 397.3336, Florida Statutes, is created
150	to read:
151	397.3336  Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council;
152	creation; membership; duties.--There is created within the
153	Office of Drug Control a Suicide Prevention Coordinating
154	Council. The council shall develop strategies for preventing
155	suicide.
156	(1)  SCOPE OF ACTIVITY.--The Suicide Prevention
157	Coordinating Council is a coordinating council as defined in s.
158	20.03(9) and shall:
159	(a)  Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention
160	regarding the development of a statewide plan for suicide
161	prevention, with the guiding principle being that suicide is a
162	preventable problem. The statewide plan must:
163	1.  Align and provide direction for statewide suicide
164	prevention initiatives.
165	2.  Establish partnerships with state and private agencies
166	to promote public awareness of suicide prevention.
167	3.  Address specific populations in this state who are at
168	risk for suicide.
169	4.  Improve access to help individuals in acute situations.
170	5.  Identify resources to support the implementation of the
171	statewide plan.
172	(b)  Create an interagency workgroup within the council in
173	order to incorporate state agency plans for suicide prevention
174	into the statewide plan. The interagency workgroup must include,
175	but need not be limited to:
176	1.  The Secretary of Elderly Affairs, or his or her
177	designee.
178	2.  The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee.
179	3.  The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
180	4.  The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or
181	her designee.
182	5.  The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
183	designee.
184	6.  The executive director of the Department of Law
185	Enforcement, or his or her designee.
186	7.  The Secretary of Children and Family Services, or his
187	or her designee.
188	8.  The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
189	9.  The executive director of the Department of Veterans'
190	Affairs, or his or her designee.
191	10.  The director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation,
192	or his or her designee.
193	(c)  Assemble an ad hoc advisory committee with membership
194	from outside the council when necessary in order for the council
195	to receive advice and assistance in carrying out its
196	responsibilities.
197	(d)  Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.
198	(e)  Make findings and recommendations regarding suicide
199	prevention programs and activities. The council shall prepare an
200	annual report and present it to the Governor, the President of
201	the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
202	January 1, 2007, and each year thereafter. The annual report
203	must describe the status of existing and planned initiatives
204	identified in the statewide plan for suicide prevention and any
205	recommendations arising therefrom.
206	(2)  MEMBERSHIP.--The Suicide Prevention Coordinating
207	Council shall consist of 28 members.
208	(a)  Fourteen members shall be appointed by the director of
209	the Office of Drug Control and shall represent the following
210	organizations:
211	1.  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation,
212	Inc., described in s. 394.655.
213	2.  The Florida Association of School Psychologists.
214	3.  The Florida Sheriffs Association.
215	4.  The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA.
216	5.  The Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention.
217	6.  The Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition.
218	7.  The Alzheimer's Association.
219	8.  The Florida School Board Association.
220	9.  Volunteer Florida, Inc.
221	10.  Florida AARP.
222	11.  The Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.
223	12.  The Florida Counseling Association.
224	13.  The Florida Council for Community Mental Health.
225	14.  The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
226	Florida, Inc.
227	(b)  The following state officials shall be appointed to
228	the coordinating council:
229	1.  The Secretary of Elderly Affairs, or his or her
230	designee.
231	2.  The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee.
232	3.  The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
233	4.  The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or
234	her designee.
235	5.  The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
236	designee.
237	6.  The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
238	7.  The executive director of the Department of Law
239	Enforcement, or his or her designee.
240	8.  The executive director of the Department of Veterans'
241	Affairs, or his or her designee.
242	9.  The Secretary of Children and Family Services, or his
243	or her designee.
244	10.  The director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation,
245	or his or her designee.
246	(c)  The Governor shall appoint four additional members to
247	the coordinating council. The appointees must have expertise
248	critical to the prevention of suicide or represent an
249	organization that is not already represented on the coordinating
250	council.
251	(d)  Council members shall be appointed to staggered terms
252	of 4 years each, in accordance with s. 20.052. Any vacancy on
253	the coordinating council shall be filled in the same manner as
254	the original appointment, and any member appointed to fill a
255	vacancy occurring because of death, resignation, or
256	ineligibility for membership shall serve only for the unexpired
257	term of the member's predecessor. A member is eligible for
258	reappointment.
259	(e)  Members of the coordinating council shall serve
260	without compensation. Any member of the coordinating council who
261	is a public employee is entitled to reimbursement for per diem
262	and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
263	(3)  MEETINGS.--
264	(a)  The director of the Office of Drug Control shall be a
265	nonvoting, ex officio member of the coordinating council and
266	shall act as chair.
267	(b)  The coordinating council shall meet at least quarterly
268	or upon the call of the chair. The council meetings may be held
269	via teleconference or other electronic means.
270	(c)  Public organizations shall participate and cooperate
271	with the coordinating council.
272	Section 3.  One full-time equivalent position is authorized
273	and the sum of $100,000 is appropriated from the General Revenue
274	Fund to the Office of Drug Control for the purpose of
275	implementing this act during the 2006-2007 fiscal year.
276	Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

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