Mission, Vision and Role

Mission

The Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention, in collaboration with the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council, coordinates Florida's suicide prevention efforts by developing mechanisms for implementing the Florida Suicide Prevention Strategy, providing oversight, building capacity, creating policy, and mobilizing communities, with the overall goal of lowering suicidality and improving quality of life.

Vision

Suicide is a complex yet preventable public health problem. A coordinated strategy and effort are critical in reducing suicide. A centralized structure is necessary to integrate the statewide effort and provide a unified direction but success in suicide prevention depends on empowerment at the local level. An infrastructure built on cooperation between the federal, state, and community level is essential for comprehensively combating this problem. Through these partnerships, we will be able to increase existing suicide prevention capacity and promote collaborative action.

Structure and Role

The Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention functions as a unit of the Office of Drug Control within the Executive Office of the Governor. The creation of the Office is a vital step in having this issue recognized by the Legislature and will serve as a model to other states that the prevention of suicide needs to be a priority. The Office plays a critical role in integrating the statewide effort but it is the partnerships around the state through which change occurs and the work gets done.

The role of the state office is to:

Build capacity
Develop Strategy
Guide Implementation
Create policy
Seek funding

Florida Statute & Requirement 14.2019 Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention

"14.2019, F.S. creates the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention as a unit of the Drug Control Office in the Executive Office of the Governor; provides appropriation of $150,000 for FY 2007/2008."

"The statewide office shall, within available resources:

Develop a network of community-based programs to improve suicide prevention initiatives. The network shall identify and work to eliminate barriers to providing suicide prevention services to individuals who are at risk of suicide. The network shall consist of stakeholders advocating suicide prevention, including, but not limited to, not-for-profit suicide prevention organizations, faith-based suicide prevention organizations, law enforcement agencies, first responders to emergency calls, suicide prevention community coalitions, schools and universities, mental health agencies, substance abuse treatment agencies, health care providers, and school personnel.

Prepare and implement the statewide plan with the advice of the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council.

Increase public awareness concerning topics relating to suicide prevention.

Coordinate education and training curricula in suicide prevention efforts for law enforcement personnel, first responders to emergency calls, health care providers, school employees, and other persons who may have contact with persons at risk of suicide."

"The Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention may seek and accept grants or funds from any federal, state, or local source to support the operation and defray the authorized expenses of the office and the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council. Revenues from grants shall be deposited in the Grants and Donations Trust Fund within the Executive Office of the Governor. In accordance with s. 216.181 (11), the Executive Office of the Governor may request changes to the approved operating budget to allow the expenditure of any additional grant funds collected pursuant to this subsection. "

"Agencies under the control of the Governor or the Governor and Cabinet are directed, and all others are encouraged, to provide information and support to the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention as requested."

On July 1, 2007, this law went into effect and by July 27, Erin MacInnes was hired to be the Director of the Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention. By August 31st, all Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council members were appointed and by October 31, Allyson Adolphson was hired to assist in coordinating efforts statewide.