Senate Bill sb0224
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 224
By Senator Lynn
7-250-07
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; authorizing the coordinating council
22 to assemble an ad hoc committee to advise the
23 coordinating council; providing for membership
24 on the coordinating council; providing an
25 appropriation and authorizing an additional
26 position; providing an effective date.
27
28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30 Section 1. Section 14.2019, Florida Statutes, is
31 created to read:
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1 14.2019 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.--
2 (1) The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention is
3 created as a unit of the Office of Drug Control within the
4 Executive Office of the Governor.
5 (2) The statewide office shall, within available
6 resources:
7 (a) Develop a network of community-based programs to
8 improve suicide-prevention initiatives. The network shall
9 identify and work to eliminate barriers that impede providing
10 suicide-prevention services to individuals who are at risk of
11 suicide. The network shall consist of stakeholders advocating
12 suicide prevention, including, but not limited to,
13 not-for-profit suicide-prevention organizations, faith-based
14 suicide-prevention organizations, law enforcement agencies,
15 first responders to emergency calls, suicide-prevention
16 community coalitions, schools and universities, mental health
17 agencies, substance-abuse treatment agencies, health care
18 providers, and school personnel.
19 (b) Implement the statewide plan prepared by the
20 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council.
21 (c) Increase public awareness concerning topics
22 relating to suicide prevention.
23 (d) Coordinate education and training curricula in
24 suicide-prevention efforts for law enforcement personnel,
25 first responders to emergency calls, health care providers,
26 school employees, and other persons who may have contact with
27 persons at risk of suicide.
28 (3) Contingent upon a specific appropriation, a
29 coordinator shall be employed for the Statewide Office for
30 Suicide Prevention. The coordinator shall have:
31 (a) The following education and employment experience:
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1 1. A bachelor's degree in social work, psychology,
2 sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely related
3 field and 5 or more years of work experience in behavioral
4 health care or a closely related field.
5 2. A master's or doctoral degree in social work,
6 psychology, sociology, counseling, public health, or a closely
7 related field and 2 or more years of work experience in
8 behavioral health or a closely related field.
9 (b) The following skills:
10 1. Significant professional experience in social
11 services, mental health, or a closely related field.
12 2. Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, methods
13 of facilitation, community development, behavioral health
14 treatment and prevention programs, and community-based
15 behavioral health problems.
16 3. Experience in working with individuals and groups
17 that are representative of the ethnic and racial diversity of
18 the state.
19 4. Experience in writing grant proposals and technical
20 reports.
21 (4) The coordinator shall:
22 (a) Work with the state agencies that are members of
23 the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to integrate state
24 agency programs for suicide prevention into a unified
25 statewide plan. The unified statewide plan must include a
26 suicide-prevention communication plan among state agencies.
27 (b) Review local, state, and national
28 suicide-prevention programs for examples of innovative
29 suicide-prevention models. If innovative models are
30 discovered, the coordinator shall prepare a report to describe
31 the feasibility of implementing some or all of the innovative
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1 models in this state. The report shall be submitted to the
2 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council.
3 (c) Develop and maintain an Internet website that has
4 links to appropriate suicide-prevention resource documents,
5 suicide hotlines, state and community mental health agencies,
6 and appropriate national suicide-prevention organizations.
7 (d) Identify and disseminate information regarding
8 crisis services for suicide prevention.
9 (e) Join with stakeholders in suicide prevention in
10 order to:
11 1. Develop public awareness and media campaigns in
12 each county which are directed towards persons who are at risk
13 of suicide.
14 2. Develop education and training programs for suicide
15 prevention. The education and training programs must be
16 directed first to persons who have face-to-face contact with
17 individuals who may be at risk of suicide. The training must
18 assist persons to recognize when an individual is at risk of
19 suicide and how to properly refer those individuals to
20 treatment or support services.
21 (f) Provide technical assistance for educational
22 activities that are provided to residents of this state
23 relating to suicide prevention.
24 (g) Cooperate with school districts to develop
25 training and counseling programs for school-based
26 suicide-prevention activities. The coordinator and school
27 districts shall also develop a method by which to evaluate
28 each prevention training and counseling program.
29 (h) Review current research data and findings to
30 identify at-risk populations, factors relating to suicide, and
31 suicide-prevention activities and disseminate this research to
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1 the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council for use in
2 developing strategies for preventing suicide.
3 (i) Develop and submit proposals to agencies of the
4 state and federal government and to nongovernmental
5 organizations for funding suicide-prevention activities.
6 (5) The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention may
7 seek and accept grants or funds from any federal, state, or
8 local source to support the operation and defray the
9 authorized expenses of the office and the Suicide Prevention
10 Coordinating Council.
11 (6) Agencies under the control of the Governor or the
12 Governor and Cabinet are directed, and all others are
13 encouraged, to provide information and support to the
14 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention as requested.
15 Section 2. Section 14.20195, Florida Statutes, is
16 created to read:
17 14.20195 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council;
18 creation; membership; duties.--There is created within the
19 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention a Suicide Prevention
20 Coordinating Council. The council shall develop strategies for
21 preventing suicide.
22 (1) SCOPE OF ACTIVITY.--The Suicide Prevention
23 Coordinating Council is a coordinating council as defined in
24 s. 20.03 and shall:
25 (a) Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention
26 regarding the development of a statewide plan for suicide
27 prevention, with the guiding principle being that suicide is a
28 preventable problem. The statewide plan must:
29 1. Align and provide direction for statewide
30 suicide-prevention initiatives.
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1 2. Establish partnerships with state and private
2 agencies for the purpose of promoting public awareness of
3 suicide prevention.
4 3. Address specific populations in this state who are
5 at risk for suicide.
6 4. Identify ways in which to improve access to help
7 individuals in acute situations.
8 5. Identify resources to support the implementation of
9 the statewide plan.
10 (b) Assemble an ad hoc advisory committee comprised of
11 members from outside the council, if necessary, in order for
12 the council to receive advice and assistance in carrying out
13 its responsibilities.
14 (c) Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide
15 Prevention.
16 (d) Make findings and recommendations regarding
17 suicide-prevention programs and activities. The council shall
18 prepare an annual report and present it to the Governor, the
19 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
20 Representatives by January 1, 2008, and each year thereafter.
21 The annual report must describe the status of existing and
22 planned initiatives identified in the statewide plan for
23 suicide prevention and any recommendations arising therefrom.
24 The annual report must also include information about any
25 innovative models identified in accordance with s.
26 14.2019(4)(b) for which legislative action may be required for
27 implementation.
28 (2) MEMBERSHIP.--The Suicide Prevention Coordinating
29 Council shall consist of 28 members.
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1 (a) Fourteen 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 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 14. NAMI FLORIDA.
19 (b) The following state officials or their designees
20 shall serve on the coordinating council:
21 1. The Secretary of Elderly Affairs.
22 2. The Secretary of Health.
23 3. The Commissioner of Education.
24 4. The Secretary of Health Care Administration.
25 5. The Secretary of Juvenile Justice.
26 6. The Secretary of Corrections.
27 7. The executive director of the Department of Law
28 Enforcement.
29 8. The executive director of the Department of
30 Veterans' Affairs.
31 9. The Secretary of Children and Family Services.
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1 10. The director of Workforce Innovation.
2 (c) The Governor shall appoint four additional members
3 to the coordinating council. The appointees must have
4 expertise that is critical to the prevention of suicide or
5 represent an organization that is not already represented on
6 the coordinating council.
7 (d) For the members appointed by the director of the
8 Office of Drug Control, six members shall be appointed to
9 initial terms of 3 years and seven members shall be appointed
10 to initial terms of 4 years. For the members appointed by the
11 Governor, two members shall be appointed to initial terms of 4
12 years and one member shall be appointed to an initial term of
13 3 years. Thereafter, such members shall be appointed to terms
14 of 4 years. Any vacancy on the coordinating council shall be
15 filled in the same manner as the original appointment, and any
16 member who is appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of
17 death, resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall
18 serve only for the unexpired term of the member's predecessor.
19 A member is eligible for reappointment.
20 (e) The director of the Office of Drug Control shall
21 be a nonvoting member of the coordinating council and shall
22 act as chair.
23 (f) Members of the coordinating council shall serve
24 without compensation. Any member of the coordinating council
25 who is a public employee is entitled to reimbursement for per
26 diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
27 (3) MEETINGS.--The coordinating council shall meet at
28 least quarterly or upon the call of the chair. The council
29 meetings may be held via teleconference or other electronic
30 means.
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1 Section 3. The sum of $100,000 is appropriated from
2 the General Revenue Fund, and one additional full-time
3 equivalent position is authorized, to the Office of Drug
4 Control for the purpose of implementing this act during the
5 2007-2008 fiscal year.
6 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.
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9 SENATE SUMMARY
10 Creates the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention as a
unit of the Office of Drug Control in the Executive
11 Office of the Governor. Creates the position of statewide
coordinator for the statewide office, contingent upon a
12 specific appropriation. Specifies the education and
experience requirements for the position of coordinator.
13 Authorizes the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention to
seek and accept grants or funds from any source to
14 support its operation. Creates the Suicide Prevention
Coordinating Council within the Statewide Office for
15 Suicide Prevention. Provides the scope of activities for
the coordinating council. Authorizes the coordinating
16 council to assemble an ad hoc committee to advise the
coordinating council. Provides for membership on the
17 coordinating council. Provides an appropriation and
authorizes an additional position.
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