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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to veteran services; amending s. 14.2019,

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F.S.; requiring the Statewide Office for Suicide

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Prevention to establish a Veterans' Suicide Prevention and

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Mental Health Services Program; creating s. 14.20193,

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F.S.; establishing the program; specifying the tasks for

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the office in implementing the program; providing minimum

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standards for community-based providers that provide

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services to veterans at risk for suicide and mental

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illness; providing an appropriation; providing an

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effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (2) of

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section 14.2019, Florida Statutes, to read:

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     14.2019  Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention.--

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     (2)  The statewide office shall, within available resources:

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     (e) Establish a Veterans' Suicide Prevention and Mental

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Health Services Program as provided in s. 14.20193.

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     Section 2.  Section 14.20193, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     14.20193 Veterans' Suicide Prevention and Mental Health

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Services Program.--

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     (1) The statewide office shall establish the Veterans'

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Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Services Program to:

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     (a) Coordinate suicide prevention and mental health

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services and resources for veterans which are currently provided

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by or available through the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the

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Department of Military Affairs, and the United States Department

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of Veterans Affairs.

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     (b) Develop a network of behavioral health service

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providers that provide community-based suicide prevention and

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mental health services for veterans and their families.

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     (c) Generate guidelines and standards for behavioral

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service providers serving veterans at risk for suicide and mental

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illness and develop a list of community behavioral health service

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providers who meet those standards.

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     (d) Increase public awareness about the risk of suicide and

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mental illness among veterans.

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     (e) Coordinate education and training for professionals who

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may have contact with veterans at risk for suicide or mental

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illness.

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     (f) Develop a standard operating procedure for identifying

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tier levels of support for veterans.

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     (2) Guidelines and standards for community behavioral

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health services providers shall, at a minimum, address:

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     (a) A requirement that the provider be a nonprofit

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organization under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, be

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community-based, and have at least 5 years of experience

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providing behavioral health treatment services in the community.

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     (b) The provider's capability and experience as a

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community-based organization providing suicide prevention and

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mental health services to the community and to the veteran

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population.

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     (c) The provider's linkages to the veteran population,

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community-based veterans services organizations, the federal

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Department of Veterans Affairs, and other entities that serve and

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are familiar with the culture and needs of veterans. At a

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minimum, the provider must have four cooperative agreements with

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such organizations.

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     (d) The provider's accreditation by a state-recognized

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accrediting organization, such as the Commission on Accreditation

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of Rehabilitation Facilities, the Joint Commission on the

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Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, or the Council on

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Accreditation, particularly with respect to the service

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components that serve veterans at risk for suicide and mental

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illness.

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     (e) The adequacy and professional qualifications of the

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provider's staff to meet the needs of veterans at risk for

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suicide and mental illness.

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     (f) The provider's resources, including facilities,

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equipment, and capacity, to ensure that services are adequate and

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provided in a location that is amenable to the veteran

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population, including veterans with disabilities.

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     (g) The privacy and confidentiality of client records, data

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collected, interview information, and transcripts of group

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discussions, including how confidential information will be

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stored and safeguarded and who will have access to the

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information.

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     (h) The provider's ability to collect, document, and report

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data on performance measures and how the data is to be used to

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manage the program and ensure continuous quality improvement.

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     Section 3. The sum of $1.3 million in nonrecurring funds is

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appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Statewide

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Office for Suicide Prevention for the 2008-2009 fiscal year for

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the purpose of funding the Veterans' Suicide Prevention and

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Mental Health Services Program created by this act.

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     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.