HI HB1416

Establishes a Suicide Prevention Commission placed within the Department of Health to examine methods for improving education, awareness, support services, and inmate outreach to prevent suicides in Hawaii's correctional facilities.

Commission composition includes 12 members: directors of Health and Public Safety (co-chairs), one gubernatorial appointee, two former inmates who attempted suicide, one senator, one representative, one University of Hawaii psychiatry faculty member, one alcohol and drug abuse division representative, three American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Hawaii Chapter representatives, and one Mental Health America of Hawaii representative.

Commission members shall serve until January 1, 2025, receive no compensation, and are exempt from conflict of interest laws and Hawaii's open meetings law.

Commission must submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days before the 2021 regular session, including a strategic plan to reduce suicides in correctional facilities.

Appropriates unspecified general revenue funds to the Department of Health for fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 to develop a centralized assessment and treatment program.