04/28/2001 10:22 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
     CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 198(HES)                                                                                            
     "An Act establishing the Statewide Suicide Prevention                                                                      
     Council; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  RICK  HALFORD  explained  that  SB 198  would  establish  a                                                            
statewide  suicide council  made up  of fifteen  private and  public                                                            
members representing  rural  and urban Alaska.   There would  be two                                                            
members from  both the House and the  Senate and the Governor  would                                                            
appoint  eleven members,  including experts  in substance abuse  and                                                            
mental health, as well  as people who have been directly impacted by                                                            
suicide and who work with youth across the State.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Halford  reiterated that suicide  is an on-gong epidemic  in                                                            
many parts of  the State, especially in rural Alaska,  and currently                                                            
the numbers  are at an all  time peak.   The council would  focus on                                                            
finding ways  to reduce suicide rates,  broaden public awareness  of                                                            
the suicide warning  signs, and enhance suicide prevention  services                                                            
and programs throughout  the State.  He pointed out that the suicide                                                            
prevention  council has bi-partisan  support throughout the  Senate.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
KAREN  PERDUE,  Commissioner,   Department  of  Health   and  Social                                                            
Services,   noted  that   the  Department   supports  the   proposed                                                            
legislation.   She indicated that the fiscal note  was a responsible                                                            
projection  of  the  anticipated  costs.    She  offered  to  answer                                                            
questions of the Committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Green  asked if the  fiscal note  represented a fourteen  or                                                            
fifteen member board.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Perdue commented that  fourteen was an error  and that                                                            
it should indicate a fifteen-member board.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Green  moved to report CS  SB 198 (HES) from Committee  with                                                            
individual  recommendations and with  the accompanying fiscal  note.                                                            
There being no objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CS  SB   198  (HES)   MOVED  from   Committee  with   a  "do   pass"                                                            
recommendation  and with fiscal  note #1 by  Department of  Health &                                                            
Social Services.