ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
suicide prevention program
Purpose
Appropriates $140,000 in FY
2001-2002 and $120,000 in FY 2002-2003 from the state general fund to the
Department of Health Services (DHS) to establish a suicide prevention program.
Background
According to a 1999 report
from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, suicide was the ninth
leading cause of mortality in the U.S. in 1996. On average, 85 Americans die from suicide each day. For children between 10 and 14 years,
suicide is the fourth leading cause of death; it is the third leading cause of
death for children between 15 and 24 years.
Further, more teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from
cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and
chronic lung disease combined. Suicide
rates increase with age. When compared
to younger suicide victims, older adult suicide victims are more likely to have
lived alone, have been widowed and have had a physical illness. They are also more likely to have visited a
health care professional shortly before their suicide and thus represent a
missed opportunity for intervention.
According to data from DHS,
in 1999, there were a total of 773 suicide deaths in this state; there were 845
in 1998 and 810 in 1997. In 1999, there
were 160 elderly suicide deaths and 36 teen suicides. Additionally, for each age group, Arizona has a higher suicide
rate than the national average.
In 1999, the Arizona Suicide
Prevention Coalition was established to reduce this state’s high suicide
rate. The Coalition’s goals are to
identify existing suicide prevention activities and organizations, develop a comprehensive
state plan for suicide prevention and increase awareness about suicide. S.B. 1125 attempts to facilitate the goals
of the Coalition by appropriating $140,000 in FY 2001-2002 and $120,000 in FY
2002-2003 from the state general fund to DHS to establish a suicide prevention
program.
Provisions
1. Appropriates $140,000 in FY 2001-2002 and $120,000 in FY 2002-2003 from the state general fund to DHS to establish a suicide prevention program in the Division of Behavioral Health Services.
2. Requires the program to coordinate suicide prevention and awareness activities and programs, apply for available federal funding, develop and implement a statewide suicide prevention and awareness plan and submit an annual report by November 15 of each year to the Governor and Legislature.
3. Terminates the program on July 1, 2011.
4. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments
Adopted by Health Committee
1. Reduces the appropriations from $491,000 to $140,000 in FY 2001-2002 and from $872,363 to $120,000 in FY 2002-2003.
2. Reduces the authorized number of FTE's for the program from two to three.
Amendments
Adopted by the Appropriations Committee
1. Adopted the Health Committee amendments.
2. Eliminates the exemption of the appropriation from lapsing.
Amendments
Adopted by the House of Representatives
Requires the annual report to include information regarding the potential connection between psychotropic medications and suicide, as well as a review of data collection for factors associated with suicide.
Senate Action House Action
HEALTH 1/30/0 DPA 5-0-3 HEALTH 3/26/01 DP 8-0-0-2
APPROP 2/2/7/01 DPA 12-0-0-0 APPROP 4/18/01 DP 12-0-0-0
3rd Read 3/12/01 17-11-2-0 3rd Read 4/25/01 34-24-2-0
Final Read 5/1/01 21-8-1
Signed by the Governor 5/4/01
Chapter 319
Prepared by Senate Staff
May 17, 2001