03/26/2002 03:03 PM House HES

HB 338-APPROP: GRANTS TO PREVENT YOUTH SUICIDE                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON  announced the  final order  of business,  HOUSE BILL                                                               
NO. 338,  "An Act making a  special appropriation for a  grant to                                                               
Boys and Girls  Clubs of Southcentral Alaska for  a youth suicide                                                               
prevention program;  and providing for  an effective date."   [HB
 was  sponsored by  the House  Community and  Regional Affairs                                                               
Standing Committee.]                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 02-25, SIDE B                                                                                                              
Number 2272                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JOHN  OATES,  Chief Executive  Officer,  Boys  & Girls  Clubs  of                                                               
Southcentral Alaska, explained that HB  338 would fund a position                                                               
in each of the 32 clubhouses  throughout the state.  The position                                                               
would  be  proactive  in  coordinating  with  schools  and  other                                                               
entities in  the community to look  for children who are  at risk                                                               
and get  them involved  in clubhouse activities  in an  effort to                                                               
reduce suicides.  He pointed out  that the suicide rate in Alaska                                                               
is high, particularly in rural areas.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  COGHILL noted  that this  bill was  heard by  the                                                               
current committee several weeks ago.   He said he would put a "do                                                               
not pass" on the  report and would object to moving  it out.  The                                                               
issue [of suicide]  needs to be discussed; it  is a heartbreaking                                                               
matter, he said, but he  would object to a million-dollar [fiscal                                                               
note],  which   the  House  Finance  Committee   should  have  an                                                               
opportunity  to  [debate].     He  offered  that  he   was  in  a                                                               
subcommittee  hearing, and  that it  was  very painful  to cut  a                                                               
million dollars from the developmental disability grants.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 2190                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE explained that he  is painfully aware of how                                                               
suicides  impact families.   He  remarked, "Those  of us  who are                                                               
survivors are  victims, I think, of  a different kind."   He said                                                               
he has  the utmost  respect for  the Boys &  Girls Clubs  and the                                                               
good  they are  doing in  the state;  he has  helped with  Boys &                                                               
Girls Clubs as  an advisory member.  However,  for prevention [of                                                               
suicide], Boys & Girls Clubs must  be part of other things in the                                                               
communities.  As he reviewed  a map showing clubhouses around the                                                               
state,  he  observed that  not  nearly  enough  of the  state  is                                                               
covered.  He has grappled with  this issue, he said, and supports                                                               
such programs but questions whether this will "get us there."                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOULE noted  that this  is one-time  funding, and                                                               
said he  is painfully aware  of the expectation this  creates; he                                                               
emphasized  the need  to have  a greater  effort.   He explained,                                                               
"We're  talking  about  a  level  of  training,  or  a  level  of                                                               
commitment that cannot be a one-time  commitment.  It has to be a                                                               
level  of actions  that are  going to  be so  penetrating in  our                                                               
communities."   He suggested this  is related  to HB 408,  and to                                                               
why people fail to feel good about life and who they are.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 2063                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  OATES, in  response  to Chair  Dyson, said  he  could be  in                                                               
Juneau the next day, and had  visited with almost all the members                                                               
or their staffs.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON  remarked that he shares  the opinion that this  is a                                                               
somewhat regional program.  This  fact is coupled with the charge                                                               
of this committee  and the responsibility of  finding the funding                                                               
for the program.   He noted that the committee  has a decision to                                                               
make  whether  to  pass  this  out.   He  asked  what  additional                                                               
information members need in order to  make a reasonable vote.  "I                                                               
want you to feel no pressure from me," he added.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 2013                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA replied  that she would be  willing to pass                                                               
this bill out only after two amendments were made.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING said, "I'm ready now."                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS  expressed concern.   He  said he  had the                                                               
greatest respect  for what Mr. Oates  and the Boys &  Girls Clubs                                                               
do, but  wasn't certain this was  the correct vehicle for  such a                                                               
massive  problem.    He  suggested  that  other  groups  such  as                                                               
religious  and  Native   organizations,  "spirit"  camps,  church                                                               
groups, Boy Scouts,  Girl Scouts, and others  might be interested                                                               
in being a part of looking  for this solution.  He suggested that                                                               
someone from  the administration might  have a suggestion  on how                                                               
this might be  done across the state.  This  [effort] does not go                                                               
across the state, he said, which concerns him as well.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 1959                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE  reported that  he was  part of  the suicide                                                               
task force  put together last year;  he said there is  no telling                                                               
what will happen  with that, because he believes it  was cut from                                                               
budget.   He said that  if [the legislature]  is going to  get at                                                               
the root of this  problem, and if the state is  going to make the                                                               
kind of investment in that, it  has to be accomplished in a long-                                                               
term and  "horizontal" manner, not  a vertical manner, to  be the                                                               
most successful.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOULE  emphasized  that  he wants  to  see  these                                                               
people helped;  he noted  that [suicide] affects  a lot  of young                                                               
men  as well  as youths.    Too many  people that  he knows,  and                                                               
unfortunately some  of his  relatives, have  [committed suicide],                                                               
he said,  indicating the need  for the suicide task  force, which                                                               
includes members of  the House and Senate.   Referring to remarks                                                               
by  Representative   Stevens,  Representative  Joule   said  he'd                                                               
explained to  Mr. Oates  that one  of his  first thoughts  was to                                                               
coordinate the  suicide prevention effort with  the organizations                                                               
most  familiar  with  the  villages they  serve  -  the  regional                                                               
nonprofits.     He  concluded  by  expressing   frustration  that                                                               
although he'd like  to see the committee do  something, he wasn't                                                               
certain that [HB 338] would accomplish what is needed.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 1846                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON informed  Mr. Oates that he would  be afforded plenty                                                               
of notice  of another  hearing, and suggested  that he  find four                                                               
committee members and  work with them until  they are comfortable                                                               
about  passing [the  bill from  committee].   He  added that  the                                                               
committee needs to inquire of the Suicide Prevention Council.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON  concurred with Representative Joule.   [HB
 was held over.]