HB 0527

CS

CHAMBER ACTION

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

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