House File 474 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY LENSING
(COMPANION TO LSB 2985SS
BY RAGAN)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act providing for the establishment of an office of suicide
2 prevention within the Iowa department of public health, and
3 making an appropriation.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 2985HH 81
6 rn/gg/14
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.20 OFFICE OF SUICIDE
1 2 PREVENTION.
1 3 1. The department shall establish and administer an office
1 4 of suicide prevention. The office shall be headed by an
1 5 administrator to be appointed by the director.
1 6 2. The objective of the office shall be to develop and
1 7 implement programs designed to accomplish the following:
1 8 a. Provide general information, regarding suicide
1 9 incidence rates, suicide counseling resources, suicide
1 10 prevention strategies, and identification of at=risk
1 11 individuals or groups, for dissemination to state and local
1 12 hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, resource centers, adult and
1 13 youth emergency shelters, and other appropriate distribution
1 14 points as determined by the administrator.
1 15 b. Develop specific suicide prevention presentations and
1 16 community outreach programs adapted for targeted populations
1 17 including elementary and secondary education students, the
1 18 elderly, and chronically or terminally ill or disabled
1 19 individuals.
1 20 c. Evaluate existing programs at the state and local level
1 21 devoted to suicide prevention, and formulate recommendations
1 22 regarding effective methods of reaching at=risk individuals or
1 23 groups, emergency response telephone efficiency, and media and
1 24 advertising strategies.
1 25 3. The administrator of the office shall submit a progress
1 26 report to the director and the general assembly by January 15,
1 27 annually, detailing up=to=date suicide statistics, groups
1 28 identified as most at risk, and suicide prevention program
1 29 implementation efforts and success rates.
1 30 Sec. 2. OFFICE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION == APPROPRIATION.
1 31 There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to
1 32 the Iowa department of public health for the fiscal year
1 33 beginning July 1, 2005, and ending June 30, 2006, the
1 34 following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be
1 35 used for the purposes designated:
2 1 .................................................. $ 250,000
2 2 The amount appropriated pursuant to this section shall be
2 3 utilized to establish and staff the office of suicide
2 4 prevention within the department, pursuant to section 135.20.
2 5 Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this
2 6 section that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close
2 7 of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available
2 8 for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of
2 9 the succeeding fiscal year.
2 10 EXPLANATION
2 11 This bill provides for the establishment of an office of
2 12 suicide prevention within the Iowa department of public health
2 13 to be headed by an administrator appointed by the director of
2 14 public health.
2 15 The bill provides that the objective of the office shall be
2 16 to develop and implement programs designed to accomplish
2 17 several goals. They include providing general information
2 18 regarding suicide incidence rates, suicide counseling
2 19 resources, suicide prevention strategies, and identification
2 20 of at=risk individuals or groups for dissemination; developing
2 21 specific suicide prevention presentations and community
2 22 outreach programs adapted for targeted populations including
2 23 elementary and secondary education students, the elderly, and
2 24 chronically or terminally ill or disabled individuals; and
2 25 evaluating existing programs at the state and local level
2 26 devoted to suicide prevention, and formulate recommendations
2 27 regarding effective methods of reaching at=risk individuals
2 28 or groups, emergency response telephone efficiency, and media
2 29 and advertising strategies.
2 30 The bill provides that the administrator shall submit a
2 31 progress report to the director and the general assembly by
2 32 January 15, annually, and makes an appropriation for FY 2005=
2 33 2006 of $250,000 for the purpose of establishing and staffing
2 34 the office.
2 35 LSB 2985HH 81
3 1 rn:rj/gg/14