HB 1315 2022
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hb1315-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to veteran suicide prevention 2
training; creating s. 394.9088, F.S.; requiring the 3
Department of Veterans' Affairs to establish the pilot 4
program; providing the purpose of the pilot program; 5
requiring pilot program participants to receive 6
certain training; requiring the department to contract 7
with a certain organization to develop the curriculum 8
for such training; requiring the department to oversee 9
the process for administering training and certifying 10
participants; requiring the department to adopt rules; 11
requiring an annual report to the Legislature; 12
providing an appropriation; providing an effective 13
date. 14
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of t he State of Florida: 16
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Section 1. Section 394.9088, Florida Statutes, is created 18
to read: 19
394.9088 Veteran Suicide Prevention Training Pilot 20
Program.— 21
(1) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall establish 22
the Veteran Suicide Prevention Training Pi lot Program. The 23
purpose of the pilot program is to offer to each department 24
claims examiner and to each county and city veteran service 25
HB 1315 2022
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
officer, as described in s. 292.11, specialized training and 26
certification in the prevention of veteran suicide. 27
(2) Persons who choose to participate in the pilot program 28
must be trained to identify indicators of elevated suicide risk 29
and provide emergency crisis referral for veterans who are 30
expressing or exhibiting symptoms of emotional or psychological 31
distress. The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall contract 32
with an organization with proven experience in developing and 33
implementing veteran -relevant, evidence-based suicide prevention 34
training to develop the curriculum for training under the pilot 35
program. The department shall establish and oversee the process 36
for administering such training and certifying those 37
participants who successfully complete such training. 38
(3) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall adopt rules 39
necessary to implement the pilot program. 40
(4) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall submit a 41
report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the 42
House of Representatives by June 30 of each year which includes 43
information concerning the pilot program and whether any changes 44
should be made to the pilot program which would increase its 45
effectiveness. In its report submitted by June 30, 2026, the 46
department shall include a recommendation of whether the pilot 47
program should be continued. 48
Section 2. The sum of $500,000 in nonrecurring funds is 49
appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of 50
HB 1315 2022
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Veterans' Affairs for the purpose of implementing this act. 51
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 52