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.