Legislature(2001 - 2002)
04/23/2001 01:38 PM Senate HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 198-STATEWIDE SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL
MS. KELLY HUBER, legislative aide to Senator Halford, sponsor of SB
198 explained the measure as follows. SB 198 was designed to help
solve the increasing problem of suicide in Alaska. It is tragic to
lose a loved one of any age to suicide, but it is especially tragic
to lose a young person with so much to live for. Suicide is an
ongoing epidemic in Alaska; especially in rural Alaska and the Mat-
Su Valley. Suicide in preventable. SB 198 will establish a
Statewide Suicide Prevention Council made up of 14 private and
public members, representing both rural and urban Alaska. The
council will focus on finding ways to reduce suicide rates, broaden
public awareness of suicide warning signs, and enhance suicide
prevention services and programs throughout the state. Each March
the council will bring findings and recommendations to the
legislature for consideration. This bill has bipartisan support in
the Senate and Senator Halford asks the committee to act favorably
on the legislation.
Number 376
SENATOR LEMAN asked if any thought was given to appointing members
of the clergy to serve on the council.
MS. HUBER told Senator Leman that Senator Halford looked at placing
a faith-based representative on the council. He felt that it is
important to have representation from rural and urban Alaska and
that instead of placing a faith-based representative on the
council, their advice can be sought through testimony to the
council.
SENATOR LEMAN asked if it is the sponsor's intent to have advisors
to the council.
MS. HUBER said she did not think the sponsor would have any problem
with that approach and that the more advisors, the better. She
pointed out that Senator Halford was concerned that if the council
became too big, it would be difficult to get consensus and move
forward. For that reason, he kept the number of council members to
14.
SENATOR LEMAN said he believes that some of the best qualified
people to provide counsel in the area of suicide are not included
in the bill. He hopes those people can be accessed somehow. He
suggested amending the bill to allow the council to appoint an
advisory panel of an unlimited number of people.
SENATOR WARD said he agrees that people from faith-based
organizations should participate with this council, as well as
people who have had personal experience with suicide, but he
believes the amendment will overcomplicate the bill. He noted the
bill was structured to create principal executive officers, which
brings into the network 14 statewide organizations.
SENATOR LEMAN said it is his intent to broaden the reach of the
council to include people who could be good resources. He moved
the following amendment (Amendment 1).
Add to Sec. 44.29.330 on page 4, line 26:
(c) The council may appoint advisors to serve in an
advisory capacity to the council. The advisors would serve
without compensation.
He pointed out Amendment 1 is conceptual to allow the legal drafter
room to do some wordsmithing.
SENATOR WARD objected and said he believes Amendment 1 is
unnecessary. He asked Senator Leman to restate Amendment 1 for
Senator Halford.
SENATOR LEMAN explained to Senator Halford that his amendment would
specifically state that the council may appoint an advisory panel
to help it conduct its business and that the panel would serve
without compensation.
SENATOR HALFORD pointed out that the council can do that whether or
not it is specifically stated in the legislation, but he did not
believe adding it to the legislation harms it in any way. He added
that if all groups that are interested in participating had a seat
on the council, the council would have a membership of about 30,
and panels of that size do not work well.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN asked Senator Leman to restate his motion.
SENATOR LEMAN said a new subparagraph (c) would be added to Sec.
44.29.330 that would allow the appointment of an advisory panel to
serve at the pleasure of and advise the council.
SENATOR WARD again objected and asked Senator Leman how much money
he anticipates will have to be spent on the advisory panel.
SENATOR LEMAN said none by the state.
SENATOR WARD asked if the advisory panel spent money on office
supplies or travel, whether the money would come out of the total
effort.
SENATOR LEMAN said it is not his intention to provide for travel.
SENATOR WARD said he would prefer the bill specify that the
advisory panel be at no cost. He said he is aware that four of the
groups who will have a representative on the panel have subgroups
that specifically deal with suicide prevention. He said he does
not want this effort to supplant money into these other groups. He
expressed caution that this council should be created to help, not
to become a bureaucracy.
SENATOR LEMAN said he would be happy to identify in Amendment 1
that the advisory panel serves at the pleasure of the council and
is not entitled to travel and per diem expenses.
SENATOR WARD removed his objection to Amendment 1, therefore it was
adopted.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN commented that she finds the absence of any
reference to faith-based organizations throughout SB 198 to be
regrettable.
SENATOR HALFORD noted that a reference to faith-based organizations
was included in the bill when it was being crafted but the bill
kept getting larger and larger so he assumed faith-based
representatives would come forward to testify and participate. He
hopes they will be very involved and he has no objection to adding
further reference.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN said her concern is that the bill should expect
the council to look to faith-based organizations.
SENATOR HALFORD felt many of the appointees to the council could
also be from faith-based organizations. He repeated that he has no
problem with adding such a member except for the size of the group.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN said she appreciates that but she would like to
add some language to the duties section.
Number 1250
SENATOR LEMAN moved to amend (Amendment 2) Sec. 44.29.350 (4) on
page 5, line to read:
(4) develop healthy communities through comprehensive,
collaborative, community and faith based approaches;
There being no objection, CHAIRWOMAN GREEN announced that Amendment
2 was adopted.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN said one of the things she has noticed when these
groups are formed is that the council employs the coordinator.
However, it is often the coordinator who drives the agenda of the
organization, because of the rules of longevity. She asked if SB
198 contains the typical language for the hire of the coordinator.
SENATOR HALFORD said he believes it does and that he shares Senator
Green's concern, except that he thinks the people who are committed
to suicide prevention will be committed for a long term because of
their personal experiences. He doesn't think they will be managed
by staff to the extent that some of the other boards and
commissions are. He felt the people involved in this issue will be
well directed and have a strong sense of where the council should
be going.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN suggested revisiting this question five years from
now.
SENATOR HALFORD pointed out that Sec. 44.29.330 could contain a
provision so that the coordinator must be elected by the board
members biannually. He cautioned that the committee might want to
get another opinion on this matter. He thought that question could
be posed to the Commissioner of DHSS or someone who deals with this
sort of scenario often.
Number 1566
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN noted her concern is based on the fact that she
has seen great frustration on the part of council members who can
easily be "flim-flammed" by a coordinator. She thought some type
of mandatory assessment would put a coordinator on notice that the
position is not a career for a lifetime and that they do have to
work with councils that may change directions.
COMMISSIONER KAREN PERDUE, DHSS, told the committee that the
council can hire the individual, who would be partially exempt,
meaning that person serves at the pleasure of the council. It is
important that the individual be accountable to state procedures,
such as procurement, so the individual needs to be attached to a
department. She suggested adding language to Sec. 44.29.330(b)
that says the council shall annually review the performance of the
director.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN asked if that is what DHSS uses for other
positions and whether the council has to take action whether the
employee is to be retained or not.
COMMISSIONER PERDUE said it is and that the model used now for
partially exempt coordinators is that the council does an annual
review and if the council indicates that the coordinator is not
performing up to certain standards, something will be done.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN asked if there is any language in statute that
covers this situation for other directors.
COMMISSIONER PERDUE said she is sure there is but she could not
cite it at this time.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN asked committee members for their opinions of
inserting such language.
SENATOR LEMAN said he is in agreement with Commissioner Perdue's
suggestion and although Senator Halford is concerned that the
better applicants will most likely want a long term contract, he
believes there is nothing wrong with an annual review.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN noted that without objection, language would be
inserted requiring an annual review of the coordinator's position
(Amendment 3).
SENATOR LEMAN moved to adopt Amendment 4, which reads as follows:
on page 3, line 29, delete "2" and insert "1" and
on page 4, line 13, add subsection (J) one person who is
a member of the clergy, meaning a minister, a rabbi, a
pastor, or youth minister.
SENATOR LEMAN said the purpose of the first part is to reduce the
number of people employed in the executive branch from two to one.
He also noted the second part of Amendment 4 is conceptual so that
whatever definition that exists in state law can be used.
SENATOR HALFORD said that as much as he would like to see the
number of council members remain as low as possible, he suggested
that a new member be added and none be removed from the executive
branch. He believes that the council will want more than one
person from the executive branch to look to.
SENATOR LEMAN suggested that the second person from the executive
branch serve on the advisory panel.
SENATOR HALFORD thought the executive branch people are those who
will put the most time in because it is part of their job
description.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN suggested just adding a new subsection (J) and
adjusting the total number of council members appointed by the
Governor to 11 on page 3, line 28.
SENATOR LEMAN said he will consider that as an amendment to his
motion.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN noted that with no objection to increasing the
council membership from 14 to 15, 11 of which will be appointed by
the governor, and adding a new member who is affiliated with a
faith-based organization, Amendment 4 was adopted.
SENATOR LEMAN moved to adopt Amendment 5, which would place a four
year sunset date in the bill based on a four year cycle.
SENATOR HALFORD maintained that 1988 or 1989 was the last time a
working group was formed to look at this issue and that Alaska's
suicide rate is much higher than many other states. He said he
does not have a problem with the sunset review but he does not want
it to suggest that the legislature is only making a temporary
commitment to this council. He feels this council should be
ongoing.
SENATOR LEMAN said he hopes the council will succeed in preventing
suicide altogether but, in reality, that is not likely. His intent
is not to suggest that the council is temporary.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN noted the first sunset date would be 2005.
SENATOR HALFORD suggested asking the Legislative Budget and Audit
Division what its schedule of sunset reviews is as that will be a
factor in the date.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN suggested reviewing the sunset date in the Finance
Committee.
SENATOR LEMAN agreed.
COMMISSIONER PERDUE stated DHSS is very grateful that this issue is
getting attention and she thanked Senator Halford for his
leadership on this issue. She noted the last comprehensive look at
suicide was the result of a Senate bill that passed in 1988.
Innovative work was done, but since then, that program has not been
emphasized. The problem is complex, therefore the make-up of the
council is important.
Number 2070
SENATOR WILKEN asked if the 13 other councils listed on page 2 have
missions and measures attached to them and, if so, whether it would
be appropriate to include in the bill a requirement that the
Statewide Suicide Prevention Council develop and present its
missions and measures to the legislature.
SENATOR HALFORD said he does not know about the other councils, but
it would be appropriate to put such a requirement in the bill.
SENATOR WILKEN suggested discussing that in the Senate Finance
Committee.
Number 2170
MR. VERN MARSHALL, Executive Director of NEA-Alaska, commended the
sponsor for introducing SB 198. He noted the feeling of
shallowness that people experience when someone they know commits
suicide. This bill will hopefully engage communities and suicide
prevention efforts to help young people choose to live. He offered
to assist the committee and council in any way.
SENATOR LEMAN said that Amendment 5 was not formally adopted.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN announced that without objection, Amendment 5 was
adopted.
SENATOR DAVIS noted the bill was amended five times by this
committee, and that several of those amendments were conceptual.
SENATOR LEMAN moved CSSB 198(HES) with its attached fiscal notes
from committee with individual recommendations.
CHAIRWOMAN GREEN said she would distribute copies of the revised
bill to committee members as soon as it is drafted.
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