House File 25HOUSE FILE BY SMITH, BAILEY, SWAIM, H. MILLER, KRESSIG, STAED, WHITAKER, GASKILL, DANDEKAR, HUNTER, WHITEAD, ABDUL=SAMAD, WENTHE, MURPHY, WENDT, PETTENGILL, BERRY, FOEGE, HEDDENS, and GAYMAN Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act establishing a suicide prevention program for veterans. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1028HH 82 4 ec/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 35.12 VETERANS SUICIDE 1 2 PREVENTION PROGRAM. 1 3 1. The department shall establish and administer a suicide 1 4 prevention program for veterans. The department shall 1 5 coordinate with the department of public health in developing 1 6 the program. The goal of the program shall be to reduce the 1 7 incidence of suicide among veterans. 1 8 2. The program established by the department shall include 1 9 but not be limited to the following: 1 10 a. Public education and awareness programs for veterans, 1 11 health care professionals, and the public, relative to 1 12 recognizing and responding to veterans at risk for suicide. 1 13 b. Referral services to identify appropriate suicide 1 14 prevention counseling and treatment programs for at=risk 1 15 veterans. 1 16 Sec. 2. VETERANS SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM REPORT. The 1 17 director of the department of veterans affairs shall submit a 1 18 report to the members of the general assembly by January 15, 1 19 2008, regarding the development and implementation of the 1 20 veterans suicide prevention program established by the section 1 21 of this Act enacting section 35.12. 1 22 EXPLANATION 1 23 This bill requires the department of veterans affairs to 1 24 establish a veterans suicide prevention program. The bill 1 25 provides that the department coordinate with the department of 1 26 public health in establishing the program. The bill provides 1 27 that the program include public education and awareness 1 28 programs and referral services to appropriate suicide 1 29 prevention counseling and treatment relative to reducing the 1 30 incidence of suicide among veterans. The bill provides that 1 31 the department of veterans affairs submit a report to the 1 32 general assembly by January 15, 2008, concerning the 1 33 development and implementation of the program. 1 34 LSB 1028HH 82 1 35 ec:sc/gg/14