Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1712
       
       
        
       By Senator Burgess
       
       
       
       
       
       20-01740B-22                                          20221712__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Veteran Suicide Prevention
    3         Training Pilot Program; creating s. 394.9088, F.S.;
    4         requiring the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to
    5         establish the pilot program; providing the purpose of
    6         the pilot program; requiring pilot program
    7         participants to receive certain training; requiring
    8         the department to contract with an organization to
    9         develop the curriculum for such training; requiring
   10         the department to establish and oversee the
   11         participant certification process; requiring the
   12         department to adopt rules; requiring the department to
   13         submit an annual report to the Legislature by a
   14         specified date; providing an appropriation; providing
   15         an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Section 394.9088, Florida Statutes, is created
   20  to read:
   21         394.9088 Veteran Suicide Prevention Training Pilot
   22  Program.—
   23         (1) The Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall establish the
   24  Veteran Suicide Prevention Training Pilot Program. The purpose
   25  of the pilot program is to offer to each Department of Veterans’
   26  Affairs claims examiner and each county and city veteran service
   27  officer, as described in s. 292.11, specialized training and
   28  certification in the prevention of veteran suicide.
   29         (2) Individuals electing to participate in the pilot
   30  program must be trained to identify indicators of elevated
   31  suicide risk and provide emergency crisis referrals for veterans
   32  expressing or exhibiting symptoms of emotional or psychological
   33  distress. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall contract
   34  with an organization having proven experience developing and
   35  implementing veteran-relevant and evidence-based suicide
   36  prevention training to develop the curriculum for such training.
   37  The department shall establish and oversee the process for
   38  certifying program participants who successfully complete such
   39  training.
   40         (3) The Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall adopt rules
   41  necessary to implement the pilot program.
   42         (4) The Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall submit a
   43  report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
   44  House of Representatives by June 30 of each year which includes
   45  information concerning the pilot program and whether any changes
   46  should be made to the pilot program which would increase its
   47  effectiveness. In its report submitted by June 30, 2026, the
   48  department shall include a recommendation of whether the pilot
   49  program should be continued.
   50         Section 2. The sum of $500,000 in nonrecurring funds is
   51  appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of
   52  Veterans’ Affairs for the purpose of implementing this act.
   53         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.