LRB-1703/P3
SWB:cdc&emw
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Lessner, BB0476 - Suicide Prevention Program
For 2023-2025 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
health and human services
Behavioral health and developmental disabilities
Suicide prevention program
This bill requires DHS to implement a suicide prevention program, coordinate suicide prevention activities with other state agencies, administer grant programs involving suicide prevention, and perform various other functions specified in the bill to promote efforts to prevent suicide. The bill also specifically requires DHS to award grants to organizations or coalitions of organizations, including cities, villages, towns, counties, and federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands, for 1) training staff at a firearm retailer or firearm range on how to recognize a person that may be considering suicide; 2) providing suicide prevention materials for distribution at a firearm retailer or firearm range; or 3) providing voluntary, temporary firearm storage. A grant recipient must contribute matching funds or in-kind services having a value equal to at least 20 percent of the grant amount. The bill specifies that DHS may award up to $500,000 in grants for the suicide prevention program each fiscal year, including up to $75,000 per fiscal year for the grants related to preventing suicide by firearm.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section
1. 20.435 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.435 (1) (b) General aids and local assistance. The amounts in the schedule for aids and local assistance relating to public health services
, for grants for the suicide prevention program under s. 255.20 (4), and for grants for community programs under s. 46.48. Notwithstanding ss. 20.001 (3) (a) and 20.002 (1), the department may transfer funds between fiscal years under this paragraph. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, all funds allocated but not encumbered by December 31 of each year lapse to the general fund on the next January 1 unless carried forward to the next calendar year by the joint committee on finance.
Section
2. 255.20 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
255.20 (4) (a) Implement a suicide prevention program that creates public awareness for issues relating to suicide prevention, builds community networks, and conducts training programs on suicide prevention for law enforcement personnel, health care providers, school employees, and other persons who have contact with persons at risk of suicide.
(b) As part of the suicide prevention program under this subsection, the department shall do all of the following:
1. Coordinate suicide prevention activities with other state agencies.
2. Provide educational activities to the general public relating to suicide prevention.
3. Provide training to persons who routinely interact with persons at risk of suicide, including training on recognizing persons at risk of suicide and referring those persons for appropriate treatment or support services.
4. Develop and carry out public awareness and media campaigns in each county targeting groups of persons who are at risk of suicide.
5. Enhance crisis services relating to suicide prevention.
6. Link persons trained in the assessment of and intervention in suicide with schools, public community centers, nursing homes, and other facilities serving persons most at risk of suicide.
7. Coordinate the establishment of local advisory groups in each county to support the efforts of the suicide prevention program under this subsection.
8. Work with groups advocating suicide prevention, community coalitions, managers of existing crisis hotlines that are nationally accredited or certified, and staff members of mental health agencies in this state to identify and address the barriers that interfere with providing services to groups of persons who are at risk of suicide.
9. Develop and maintain a website with links to appropriate resource documents, suicide hotlines that are nationally accredited or certified, credentialed professional personnel, state and local mental health agencies, and appropriate national organizations.
10. Review current research on data collection for factors related to suicide and develop recommendations for improved systems of surveillance for suicide and uniform collection of data related to suicide.
11. Develop and submit proposals for funding from federal government agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
12. Administer grant programs involving suicide prevention.
(c) 1. The department shall award grants to organizations or coalitions of organizations, which may include a city, village, town, county, or federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state for any of the following purposes:
a. To train staff at a firearm retailer or firearm range on how to recognize a person that may be considering suicide.
b. To provide suicide prevention materials for distribution at a firearm retailer or firearm range.
c. To provide voluntary, temporary firearm storage.
2. The department may not award a grant under subd. 1. unless the recipient contributes matching funds or in-kind services having a value equal to at least 20 percent of the grant.
3. The department may not award a grant to a recipient under subd. 1. for an amount that exceeds $5,000. The department may not award a grant under subd. 1. having a duration of more than one year and may not automatically renew a grant awarded under subd. 1. This subdivision shall not be construed to prevent an organization or coalition of organizations from reapplying for a grant in consecutive years. In awarding grants under subd. 1., the department shall give preference to organizations or coalitions of organizations that have not previously received a grant under this paragraph.
(d) From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (b), the department may distribute up to $500,000 in grants each fiscal year for grants under this subsection, up to $75,000 of which may be distributed each fiscal year for grants under par. (c).
(End)
