84R992 EES-D

By: Rodríguez S.B. No. 388

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Suicide Prevention.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subchapter J to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER J. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SUICIDE PREVENTION

Sec. 1001.301. ESTABLISHMENT. The department shall establish the Advisory Committee on Suicide Prevention.

Sec. 1001.302. MEMBERS. (a) The Advisory Committee on Suicide Prevention is composed of not more than 26 members appointed by the commissioner as provided by this section.

(b) The advisory committee must include:

(1) one member who is a representative of the department's Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division;

(2) one member who represents law enforcement;

(3) one member who represents institutions of higher education;

(4) one member who represents primary and secondary schools;

(5) one member who is a representative of an employee assistance program or human resources department in the private sector;

(6) one member who is a licensed mental health professional;

(7) one member who is an active member or veteran of the United States military and who has been affected by suicide;

(8) one member who is a family member of a person who committed suicide;

(9) one member who has recovered from an attempted suicide;

(10) one member who is a representative of a philanthropic foundation;

(11) one member who represents medical providers and first responders;

(12) one member who is a representative of a hospital with an on-site emergency department;

(13) one member who represents the agricultural and ranching industry;

(14) one member who represents the oil and gas industry and who is from a rural area;

(15) three members who represent the business community, including one member who is from a rural area;

(16) one member who represents the suicide prevention nonprofit community;

(17) one member who is a representative of a nonprofit community service organization; and

(18) one member who is a representative of an interfaith organization.

(c) In making the appointments to the advisory committee, the commissioner shall ensure that the membership of the committee reflects the ethnic diversity of this state and includes:

(1) representatives of the regions of the state with high rates of suicide, including rural areas; and

(2) persons who have expertise in those groups associated with high rates of suicide and attempted suicide, including:

(A) persons with disabilities;

(B) working-age men;

(C) elderly persons;

(D) active-duty military personnel and veterans; and

(E) youth and adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

(d) The commissioner shall appoint one advisory committee member who represents the public sector and one advisory committee member who represents the private sector to serve as co-chairs of the committee.

Sec. 1001.303. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT. A member of the Advisory Committee on Suicide Prevention may not receive compensation but is entitled to reimbursement of the travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of the advisory committee, as provided by the General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 1001.304. PURPOSE; DUTIES. (a) The Advisory Committee on Suicide Prevention is established to provide public and private leadership for suicide prevention and intervention in this state.

(b) The advisory committee shall:

(1) advise the department's Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division on suicide prevention and intervention;

(2) propose statewide, data-driven, evidence-based, and clinically informed suicide prevention priorities for the state;

(3) establish and lead subgroups to develop proposals for strategy and implementation for each suicide prevention priority in Subdivision (2);

(4) provide a forum for government agencies, community members, business leaders, and legislators to examine the current state of the state's suicide prevention and intervention policies and programs, analyze the near-term opportunities for and challenges to those policies and programs, and make recommendations to the department's Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division, the governor, and the legislature regarding improvements and innovations to those policies and programs to reduce the occurrence of suicide in this state;

(5) promote expansion of local and national partnerships and resources for statewide suicide prevention activities;

(6) promote cooperation and coordination among suicide prevention programs and strategies across the state;

(7) evaluate the distribution of state resources for suicide prevention;

(8) ensure that suicide prevention remains a state priority; and

(9) encourage the development of suicide prevention plans at the local level.

Sec. 1001.305. DEPARTMENT SUPPORT. The department shall support the Advisory Committee on Suicide Prevention by:

(1) coordinating the logistics and developing the agenda for advisory committee meetings;

(2) following up with advisory committee members after advisory committee meetings;

(3) developing and implementing an orientation program for new advisory committee members;

(4) working with the advisory committee co-chairs to set priorities for the advisory committee, recruit members for the advisory committee, oversee advisory committee initiatives, coordinate advisory committee activities, and implement advisory committee-directed initiatives; and

(5) providing any other support, services, or resources requested by the advisory committee co-chairs.

Sec. 1001.306. REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each year, the Advisory Committee on Suicide Prevention shall report to the legislature on the advisory committee's recommendations for suicide prevention and intervention in this state.

SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2015, the Department of State Health Services shall establish the Advisory Committee on Suicide Prevention as required by Subchapter J, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.