Home | About the Office | Initiatives | Resources | Data | Florida Suicide Prevention Strategy | Events & Training

Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council

Summary

The Florida Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council is a permanent entity comprised of 28 statutorily designated voting members and other non-voting members that is held accountable to the Legislature for designing strategies to implement the Florida Suicide Prevention Strategy. The full Council meets four times per year but ad hoc committees may hold additional meetings to develop particular initiatives. The Director of the Florida Office of Drug Control acts as chair of the Council.

The Council is subject to the Sunshine Law. All meetings must be in open forum, minutes must be kept and meeting notifications must be published in the Florida Administrative Weekly. Any issue that will come before the Council for official vote shall not be discussed between two or more Council members outside of a Council meeting. This only applies to the 28 statutorily designated members.

The Council shall prepare an annual report and present it to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1 of each year. The annual report must describe the status of existing and planned initiatives identified in the statewide plan for suicide prevention and any recommendations that arise from it.

Council Recommendation Form

The Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council has a legislative mandate to advise the Office of Suicide Prevention regarding suicide prevention programs and activities. This recommendation form is an avenue through which to provide those recommendations on an ongoing basis. Please return recommendation forms to Erin MacInnes at Erin.MacInnes@MyFlorida.com.

Recommendation Form pdf 67KB
Recommendation Form MS Word document

Florida Statute and Appointed Members (14.20195 Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council)

"14.20195, F.S. creates the Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council within the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention. The Council shall develop strategies for preventing suicide.

The Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council is a coordinating council as defined in s. 20.03 and shall:

1. Advise the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention regarding the development of a statewide plan for suicide prevention, with the guiding principle that suicide is a preventable problem. The statewide plan must:
1. Align and provide direction for statewide suicide prevention initiatives.
2. Establish partnerships with state and private agencies for the purpose of promoting public awareness of suicide prevention.
3. Address specific populations in this state who are at risk for suicide.
4. Identify ways to improve access to crisis services for individuals in acute situations.
5. Identify resources to support the implementation of the statewide plan.
2. Assemble an ad hoc advisory committee comprised of members from outside the council, if necessary, in order for the council to receive advice and assistance in carrying out its responsibilities.


3. Make findings and recommendations regarding suicide prevention programs and activities. The council shall prepare an annual report and present it to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2008, and each year thereafter. The annual report must describe the status of existing and planned initiatives identified in the statewide plan for suicide prevention and any recommendations arising therefrom.

The Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council shall consist of 28 voting members. Fourteen members shall be appointed by the Director of the Office of Drug Control and shall represent the following organizations:

1. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation (currently Ellen Piekalkiewicz, Executive Director)
2. The Florida Association of School Psychologists (currently Dr. Gene Cash, Director, School Psychology Assessment and Consultation Center, Licensed Psychologist and Associate Professor, Nova Southeastern University Center for Psychological Studies)
3. The Florida Sheriff’s Association (currently Sheriff Donald Eslinger)
4. The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (currently Frank Buonauro, Founder, The Michael Buonauro Foundation)
5. The Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention (currently Jackie Rosen, Executive Director)
6. The Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition (currently Judy Broward, Chair)
7. The Alzheimer’s Association (Appointment currently open)
8. The Florida School Board Association (currently Jeanne Dozier, President)
9. Volunteer Florida Foundation (Appointment currently open)
10. Florida AARP (currently Dee Miller)
11. The Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association (Bob Rihn, President, Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association )
12. The Florida Counseling Association (currently Debbie Greer, Past President, Florida Counseling Association)
13. The Florida Council for Community Mental Health (Wayne Dreggors, Senior Vice President of Adult Services, Seminole Behavioral Healthcare)
14. National Alliance on Mental Illness (currently Judith Evans, Executive Director)

The following state officials or their designees shall serve on the coordinating council:

1. Department of Elder Affairs (currently Michele Mule, Health and Wellness Manager)
2. Department of Health (currently Lisa VanderWerf-Hourigan, Manager, Office of Injury Prevention)
3. Department of Education (currently Bettye Hyle, Team Leader of Student Services)
4. Agency for Health Care Administration (Appointment currently open)
5. Department of Juvenile Justice (currently Dr. Martin Von Holden, Mental Health Consultant, Detention Services)
6. Department of Corrections (currently Pam Denmark, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Community Corrections Program)
7. Florida Department of Law Enforcement (currently Lee Condon, Deputy Special Agency Supervisor)
8. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (currently Joe Marino, Legislative Affairs Director)
9. Department of Children and Families (currently Jackie Beck, Mental Health Program Office)
10. Agency for Workforce Innovation (Barbara Griffin)

The Governor shall appoint four additional members to the coordinating council. The appointees must have expertise that is critical to the prevention of suicide or represent an organization that is not already represented on the coordinating council.

1. Dr. Marshall Knudson, Director, Alachua County Crisis Center
2. Stephen Roggenbaum, Assistant in Research, Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida
3. Dr. Wayne Goodman, Director, Division of Adult Translational Research and Treatment Development, National Institute of Mental Health"

The director of the Office of Drug Control shall be a nonvoting member of the coordinating council and shall act as chair. The coordinating council shall meet at least quarterly or upon the call of the chair. William H. Janes is the Director of the Florida Office of Drug Control and serves as chair of the Council."