Legislature(2005 - 2006)BUTROVICH 205
02/02/2005 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB60 | |
| SB22 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 60 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 22 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 60-EXTEND SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL
1:33:26 PM
SHANNON STRAUBE, staff to Senator Ben Stevens, introduced SB 60,
which would extend the termination date of the council from June
th
30 2005 to June 30 2006. Senator Ben Stevens submitted the bill
and the legislative audit recommended the extension.
1:34:53PM
KATHY CRAFT, Suicide Prevention Council coordinator, Department
of Health and Social Services (DHSS), offered a brief update on
the council. She advised the goals this year are to broaden the
awareness of suicide and the risk factors, to enhance prevention
services, to develop healthy communities, and to strengthen
existing and build new partnerships between public and private
entities that will advance suicide efforts in Alaska.
1:36:13 PM
The Suicide Prevention Council has a contract with the Alaska
Injury Prevention Center for a study involving psychological
autopsies. They work with the Department of Public Safety to
obtain information on individuals who commit suicides. After an
appropriate mourning time, they contact the families to see if
they would contribute to the study. They have asked for an
extension of the study, which ends June 30, 2005 so they can
gather more information. The study collects information such as
suicide rates by age group, methods of suicide, substance abuse
involvement, ethnicity, and urban vs. rural.
1:37:51 PM
MS. CRAFT said they have plans to train communities for when
suicide becomes an issue, what the community can do. They have
started a public awareness campaign titled "Suicide Hurts", and
have had posters printed. They have drafted television and radio
scripts but are lacking funds to complete the effort. They are
working on continuing the clergy initiative, which brings the
prevention treatment together with clergy. The annual report
will be submitted in two weeks.
1:39:19 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked who is able to speak regarding the graphs and
trends in the packet submitted to the committee.
MS. CRAFT answered she is.
CHAIR DYSON asked when should the state expect to see reductions
in the suicide rate.
MS. CRAFT answered it depends on economics and services
available. She said in 2004 the rate did increase.
CHAIR DYSON asked when the council was created.
MS. CRAFT advised it was 2002.
1:41:29 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked Ms. Craft about next year's goal in suicide
reduction.
MS. CRAFT advised the council would like a 10 percent reduction
in 2005.
CHAIR DYSON asked which state departments partner in the effort
to reduce statewide suicide rate.
MS. CRAFT replied the Department of Health and Social Services,
the Division of Behavioral Health and Public Health, the Trust
Authority, the Mental Health Board, the Advisory Board on
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, the Governor's Council on
Disabilities and Special Education, the Alaska Commission on
Aging, and the new Faith-based Community Initiative Forum.
CHAIR DYSON asked about the Department of Education, the school
system and the police department.
MS. CRAFT agreed those entities would also serve to promote
their efforts.
CHAIR DYSON asked for other questions.
1:43:18 PM
CHAIR DYSON complimented the efforts of the council and asked if
it was still disproportionately rural native males committing
suicide.
MS. CRAFT answered yes. It is also disproportionately people in
their 20s. She hopes that once the structured training and the
media campaign begin they will see positive results.
1:45:19 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked the percentage of suicides involving mind-
altering drugs.
MS. CRAFT replied 73 percent for those with a history of
substance abuse, but the total is 62 percent.
CHAIR DYSON asked whether the suicide rate would be reduced if
firearms were not available.
MS. CRAFT answered they plan to address firearm security in
their community training efforts.
1:47:50 PM
SENATOR LYDA GREEN asked how the council is faring overall.
MS. CRAFT advised they are involved in writing proposals and
working with community-based suicide prevention planning. They
are working with the Division of Behavioral Health to
incorporate a plan into their grant responses. The council and
DHSS are working on a formal system regarding the budget.
1:49:47 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked Pat Davidson to explain the money spent on
furniture and the money transferred to the Terminal Leave and
Insurance Catastrophe Working Account.
PAT DAVIDSON, Division of Legislative Audit representative
advised Chair Dyson that DHSS used approximately $30,000 to buy
furniture for information technology services. There was no
direct benefit to the suicide prevention council. There is a
provision in statute that when you have joint costs, then
everyone pitches in. She added there is a format for using joint
funds that was not followed and she advised that would be
addressed in the statewide financial audit.
1:51:57 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked whether the council had any control of DHSS's
decision to use the council's money.
MS. DAVIDSON replied no. The budget act appropriation term is
Boards and Commissions. There is the ability to move monies
within the appropriation but DHSS did not follow the guidelines.
A contributing factor is unclear financial information between
the department responsible for administering funds and the
council. The council was impaired by a lack of financial
understanding, which is why almost $95,000 lapsed at the end of
the year.
1:54:07 PM
MS. DAVIDSON explained the transfers into the Terminal Leave and
Insurance Catastrophe Reserve Fund are existing statutory
provisions for otherwise lapsing funds to refill reserve
accounts. She added that the council did not know where they
were financially.
SENATOR KIM ELTON asked Ms. Davidson if there are mechanisms
available to allow for reimbursement back to the council.
MS. DAVIDSON replied that an appropriation is an opportunity to
spend money. If the council doesn't spend the money they lose
it. The Legislature could increase the current year budget and
the council could have the opportunity to access the funds that
were lost.
1:56:39 PM
SENATOR ELTON asked if there is a mechanism to redress one unit
spending the money allocated to another unit.
MS. DAVIDSON answered that a possible recommendation is the
department could appeal the appropriation. She recommends in
future years, the DHSS administrative department take
responsibility for financial communications to the council.
SENATOR GREEN asked Ms. Davidson if allocations and
appropriations could be more clearly defined in the future.
MS. DAVIDSON answered that by statute, agencies are allowed to
move money within an appropriation.
CHAIR DYSON asked the council to get back to the committee with
a reasonable performance target for the future.
1:59:38 PM
CHAIR DYSON said the suicide rates in the State of Alaska are 2-
3 times the national average. The council needs to show that it
makes a difference.
2:01:03 PM
SENATOR GREEN suggested to the council that they include their
mission and plan in their publication.
2:03:17 PM
SENATOR GREEN moved SB 60 from committee with individual
recommendations and attached fiscal note. There being no
objection, the motion carried.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|