04/12/2012 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 21(FIN)                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act relating  to the  membership  of the  Statewide                                                                   
     Suicide Prevention Council."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:25:21 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ANNA FAIRCLOUGH, explained HB 21. She                                                                            
referred to the Sponsor Statement (copy on file):                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     House  Bill  21  would simply  increase  the  number  of                                                                   
     members  appointed to the  Statewide Suicide  Prevention                                                                   
     Council from 16 members to  17 members and create an age                                                                   
     requirement for the youth member.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     The  additional   member  would  be  appointed   by  the                                                                   
     Governor  and would give  representation on  the council                                                                   
     for members of our military.  Suicide among our military                                                                   
     is on  the rise and  having an individual  familiar with                                                                   
     the lives and challenges  our military members face on a                                                                   
    daily basis is crucial to their overall well-being.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     The new member must be one  of the following; discharged                                                                   
     from, retired  from, or engaged in active  duty military                                                                   
     service  or someone  who  is a  mental health  provider,                                                                   
     social  worker,  or other  person  actively providing  a                                                                   
     health care  service to  discharged, retired,  or active                                                                   
     military personnel.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     House  Bill  21 also  changes  the requirement  for  the                                                                   
     youth member who is appointed  to the council. Currently                                                                   
     this  appointee has  to be  enrolled in  the 9th,  10th,                                                                   
     11th, or 12th  grade of a secondary school.  This member                                                                   
     would be  changed allowing the  youth to be 16  years of                                                                   
     age when appointed, but not  older than 20 years of age.                                                                   
     This will allow  our youth members to continue  to serve                                                                   
     beyond  completion of their  secondary school  education                                                                   
     and allow for continuity on the council.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:26:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Thomas understood that there was limited counseling                                                                     
for soldiers returning from Iraq. He hoped the bill would                                                                       
help to alleviate that problem.                                                                                                 
9:26:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ellis appreciated the mission of the legislation. He                                                                    
queried the current status to the senate bill on suicide                                                                        
prevention that was being considered on the house side.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Fairclough   responded  that  the   bill  was                                                                   
scheduled to be heard on the house side that same day.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:27:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman noted  the  one new  fiscal  note from  the                                                                   
Department of Health and Social Services.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman OPENED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:28:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATE   BURKHART,  EXECUTIVE   DIRECTOR,  SUICIDE   PREVENTION                                                                   
COUNCIL, JUNEAU,  testified in  support of  SB 21.  She noted                                                                   
that  the  legislation  was  a  direct  result  of  collected                                                                   
community input.  She stressed  the importance that  a member                                                                   
of the military  veteran community be a part  of the council.                                                                   
She felt  there needed to  be an expansion  of the  age range                                                                   
for the  junior member of the  council. She relayed  that the                                                                   
council  would benefit  from youth members  being allowed  to                                                                   
serve as a regular  member and not be limited  to a truncated                                                                   
term.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
GAYLE   TRIVETTE,   VOLUNTEER,  JUNEAU   SUICIDE   PREVENTION                                                                   
COALITION,  JUNEAU,  testified  in  support  of  HB  21.  She                                                                   
believed  that adding  a  seat to  the  council to  represent                                                                   
Alaska's many veterans,  and the expansion of  the youth term                                                                   
requirements,  would allow  the council  to better  represent                                                                   
the needs of both groups.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:31:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  wondered  how  the  council  interacted  with                                                                   
similar programs on the federal level.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Fairclough  replied   that  the  council  had                                                                   
formalized a  strategic plan to  engage prevention  groups on                                                                   
the federal level.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CS HB 21  (FIN) was HEARD  and HELD in committee  for further                                                                   
consideration.