Legislature(2005 - 2006)CAPITOL 106
02/08/2005 03:00 PM House HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB82 | |
| HB105 | |
| HB106 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 82 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 105 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 106 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 82 - EXTEND SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL 3:13:47 PM CHAIR WILSON announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 82, "An Act extending the termination date of the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council; and providing for an effective date." REPRESENTATIVE NANCY DAHLSTROM, Alaska State Legislature, Sponsor, relayed HB 82 extends the suicide council until 2009. The council consists of 15 members who represent rural and urban Alaska. The Joint Committee on Legislative Budget and Audit has recommended its extension in order for the council to continue addressing three issues: finding ways to reduce the suicide rate, broadening public awareness, and enhancing suicide prevention services throughout the state. 3:15:07 PM KATHRYN CRAFT, Departmental Coordinator, Prevention and Early Intervention Section, Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), explained that the goals of the Suicide Prevention Council are: to broaden public awareness of suicide and the risk factors related to suicide, to enhance the suicide prevention programs by aligning work with the Division of Behavioral Health, to develop healthy communities through collaborative community - or faith - based approaches, and to strengthen existing, and build new, partnerships between public and private entities that will advance suicide prevention efforts. The council is pleased with the audit recommendation to extend its sunset to June 2009, because it will allow the council to continue the work it started, she noted. MS. CRAFT relayed that the council is working on a "follow back" study, also called psychological autopsies. The study entails gathering a year's worth of data on individuals who have committed suicide. After an appropriate duration for the mourning of the deceased, the council asks family members for voluntary interviews to gather information. Some of the information gathered is aggregate on suicide rates, age groups, primary methods of suicide, gender, documentation of substance use, ethnicity, urban versus rural, and regional data on suicide attempts. In September 2004, the council released the statewide suicide prevention plan. The council has started media and public awareness campaigns, and is currently involved in a clergy and clinician initiative, which allows professionals to combine efforts through working together to prevent suicide in local areas. The fiscal year (FY) 2005 annual report is due March 1, 2004; she noted that would be "forthcoming in just a couple of weeks." 3:18:18 PM CHAIR WILSON noted that the prevention plan has been given to the committee. She stated that "Alaska, per capita, is number one in the nation with suicides ... and we really need to work on this; ... we should continue this program." 3:18:51 PM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER related her belief that Alaska is second to Nevada in suicides. 3:19:08 PM MS. CRAFT relayed that Alaska ranges either between one and six, regarding per capita suicide rates. She noted that next year, Alaska will be rated number one in suicides, but that has yet to be released. 3:19:35 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON commented on an Anchorage Daily News article that details a recent audit on the suicide council. According to the article only 20 percent of the $200,000 allocated to the council went to suicide prevention efforts. The article cites that the Department of Health and Social Services spent about $32,000 on furniture for unrelated programs, he noted. He asked why the money never went to the suicide prevention program. 3:20:16 PM REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM related that the audit will be addressed through the House Finance Committee. 3:20:40 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON opined that the committee needs to be aware of funding issues. He asked how the expenditures will be instituted from the department's standpoint. 3:21:27 PM BILL HOGAN, Director, Division of Behavioral Health, DHSS, notified the committee that within the last year a number of changes have occurred for the DHSS. Simultaneously, the Suicide Prevention Council lost its coordinator. An employee from the Division of Behavioral Health temporarily replaced the then vacated position, and was responsible for determining the FY budget; however, due to the reorganization, the task proved difficult, he noted. He said that the monies that did not go directly to the council were used to support the DHSS's integrated information technology efforts, which also supported some of the efforts and activities of the council, he added. He told the committee that the division will actively work with the council to ensure support of council's activities. 3:24:00 PM MR. HOGAN, in response to Chair Wilson, stated that all the dollars allotted to the Suicide Prevention Council will go towards the council's activities. 3:24:26 PM REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE moved to report HB 82 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. 3:25:14 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON objected for the purpose of discussing the zero fiscal note. 3:25:31 PM REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM explained that there is a zero fiscal note because the amount is budgeted from the governor's health and social services budget. 3:25:53 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON withdrew the objection. CHAIR WILSON asked if there were any further objections. There being none, HB 82 was reported from the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee.
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