BILL NUMBER: AB 509	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 27, 2007
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 17, 2007
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 9, 2007
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2007

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hayashi
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member DeSaulnier)
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Steinberg)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Coto  and Dymally 
 , Dymally,   and Eng  )
    (   Coauthors:   Senators  
Alquist  and Migden   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2007

   An act to add Section 4098.6 to the Welfare and Institutions Code,
relating to mental health.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 509, as amended, Hayashi. Suicide prevention.
   Existing law sets forth the powers and duties of the State
Department of Mental Health, including, but not limited to, the
administration of the state hospitals for the mentally disordered,
the licensing of psychiatric facilities, and oversight
responsibilities related to the provision of local mental health
services. Existing law, the California Suicide Prevention Act of
2000, authorizes the department to establish and implement a suicide
prevention, education, and gatekeeper training program to reduce the
severity, duration, and incidence of suicidal behaviors.
   This bill would require the department to establish the Office of
Suicide Prevention by January 1, 2009, and would set forth its duties
relating to the  establishment and  coordination of
 implementation of a  statewide suicide prevention
strategy. The bill would require the department to implement the bill
using existing funds and resources, and would require the office to
post suicide data on the department's Web site.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) More people die by suicide in America than by homicide.
   (b) More people die by suicide in America than by AIDS.
   (c) Approximately 30,000 Americans die by suicide every year; the
equivalent of 9/11 happening almost every month.
   (d) California has the highest number of suicides in the United
States.
   (e) Every suicide affects at least six people; family members and
friends who are left to mourn.
   (f) Every year there are at least 180,000 new people grieving the
death of a loved one by suicide.
   (g) According to the State Department of Health Care Services,
3,323 people commit suicide annually statewide and the number of
individuals who attempt suicide is growing at an alarming rate.
  SEC. 2.  Section 4098.6 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
   4098.6.  (a) The department shall establish an Office of Suicide
Prevention by January 1, 2009.
   (b) The Office of Suicide Prevention shall do all of the
following:
   (1) Coordinate  the creation and  implementation
of a statewide suicide prevention strategy  modeled after the
National Strategy for Suicide Prevention  .
   (2) Collect and disseminate information on best practices as
determined by an advisory committee made up of prominent minds in the
field.
   (3) Collect and disseminate data compiled from the State Registrar
of Vital Statistics and other sources regarding suicide deaths,
including, but not limited to, manner and means of death, age, race,
ethnicity, and city of residence.
   (4) Compile information from research institutes and other state
agencies regarding suicide attempts, treatment, and success of
treatment, including whether there were any subsequent attempts.
   (5) Develop prevention training standards with an emphasis on
underserved communities and cultural competency.
   (6) Report to the Legislature and subsequently to the public, the
extent of the problem and the effectiveness of various prevention
measures.
   (c) The department shall implement this section using existing
funds and resources.
   (d) The office shall post on the department's Internet Web site
data relating to suicide in California.