Senate File 2034 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY RAGAN Passed Senate, Date Passed House, 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 5626SS 81 6 rn/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.23 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, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007, 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 135.23. 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 2006= 2 33 2007 of $250,000 for the purpose of establishing and staffing 2 34 the office. 2 35 LSB 5626SS 81 3 1 rn:rj/gg/14