Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Plan (language only)

Item 305 #2c

Language
Page 291, after line 16, insert:
"As part of the Department's ongoing suicide prevention efforts, the Department of Health, in cooperation with the Departments of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services; Social Services; Education; Juvenile Justice; Criminal Justice Services; State Police; Corrections; Aging and other state agencies shall lead an effort to formulate a comprehensive suicide prevention plan.  The plan shall address suicide prevention across the life span with an emphasis on adolescents, the elderly, and high-risk populations.  The plan shall establish Virginia's public policy regarding the prevention of suicide, identify the lead agency responsible for carrying out that policy, propose initiatives and interventions to effectively operationalize that policy, identify the sources and amounts of resources to implement the initiative, and propose the creation of a permanent oversight body to monitor implementation.  The plan should be completed by June 30, 2004, and presented to the Governor and General Assembly for their consideration and possible action during the 2005 legislative session."

Explanation
(This amendment requires the Department of Health to lead a multi-agency effort to develop a comprehensive suicide prevention plan for the Commonwealth no later than June 30, 2004.)