AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION.

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is missing from the provided text; typically laws become effective upon signature or a specified date, but this specific detail was not included.

HB54: Establishing Delaware's Office of Suicide Prevention

This law creates an office within the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health to coordinate suicide prevention efforts, guide community partners, manage funding applications, and create a state plan.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes the Office of Suicide Prevention under the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
• Coordinates with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families as a central place to reach suicide prevention resources in Delaware.
• Assists the suicide prevention coalition in its mission.
• Provides vision and guidance on suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention to stakeholders across the state.
• Works with community organizations to promote best practices for preventing suicide.
• Oversees funding application processes and seeks grant funds for these efforts.
• Requires a State Suicide Prevention Plan by January 1, 2026, which must be updated at least every three years.
• Mandates an annual report on the Office's work to be sent to the General Assembly and Governor starting October 15, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
• The Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families
• Community organizations working on suicide prevention
• State lawmakers (General Assembly) and the Governor who receive reports

Terms To Know

Intervention

Actions taken to help a person in crisis, as referenced alongside prevention and postvention.

Postvention

Support provided after a suicide death, as part of the Office's guidance areas.

Suicide Prevention Coalition

A group that assists with the mission and must approve the State Suicide Prevention Plan.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not specify a specific amount of money allocated to start this office.
• Staffing levels depend on recommendations from the Division and available funding, which are not detailed in the text.
• The exact effective date is not listed in the provided official summary or bill excerpt.

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION.
This Act establishes the Office of Suicide Prevention to address suicide prevention and to do the following:
(1) Serve in coordination with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families as a place to reach all suicide prevention resources in the State.
(2) Assist the suicide prevention coalition in its mission.
(3) Provide suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention vision and guidance to stakeholders throughout the State.
(4) Work with community level prevention organizations to promote best practices in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
(5) Oversee suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention funding application processes and seek grant funds to further suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
(6) Prepare an annual report for the General Assembly and Governor that outlines the work of the Office and progress made towards suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention, beginning on October 15, 2026.
(7) Create the State’s Suicide Prevention Plan, with approval of the suicide prevention coalition, and update it no fewer than every three years.
The Act provides that the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health will choose a Director to carry out the Office’s duties.

Current Bill Text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Morrison & Rep. Minor-Brown & Sen. Mantzavinos

Reps. Bush, Heffernan, Griffith, K. Johnson, Lambert, Romer, Phillips, Burns, Ortega, Ross Levin, Snyder-Hall, Kamela Smith, Neal, Osienski, Chukwuocha, Bolden, K. Williams; Sens. Walsh, Pinkney, Hoffner, Hocker, Buckson, Wilson, Huxtable, Poore, Seigfried, Brown, Cruce, Hansen, Lawson, Lockman, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Richardson, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 54

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 62, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 6203. Office of Suicide Prevention.

(a) The Office of Suicide Prevention is established under the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Division” means “Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.”

(2) “Office” means “Office of Suicide Prevention.”

(c) The Office is established to address suicide prevention and to do all of the following:

(1) Serve in coordination with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families as a

place to reach all suicide prevention resources in the State.

(2) Assist

the suicide prevention coalition in its mission.

(3)

Provide suicide

prevention, intervention, and postvention

vision and guidance to stakeholders throughout the State.

(4)

Work with community level prevention organizations to promote best practices in suicide

prevention, intervention, and postvention.

(5) Oversee suicide

prevention, intervention, and postvention

funding application processes and seek grant funds to further suicide

prevention, intervention, and postvention

.

(6) Prepare an annual report for the General Assembly and Governor that outlines the work of the Office and progress made towards suicide

prevention, intervention, and postvention

. The first report is due on October 15, 2026.

(7)

Create the State’s Suicide Prevention Plan, referenced in § 6201 of this title, with approval of the suicide prevention coalition, on or before January 1, 2026.

(8) Update the State’s Suicide Prevention Plan no fewer than every three years.

(d)

The Office will be led by a Director, who shall report to the Director of the Division. Additional employees may be hired consistent with recommendations of the Division and available funding.

SYNOPSIS

This Act establishes the Office of Suicide Prevention to address suicide prevention and to do the following:

(1) Serve in coordination with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families as a place to reach all suicide prevention resources in the State.

(2) Assist the suicide prevention coalition in its mission.

(3) Provide suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention vision and guidance to stakeholders throughout the State.

(4) Work with community level prevention organizations to promote best practices in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.

(5) Oversee suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention funding application processes and seek grant funds to further suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.

(6) Prepare an annual report for the General Assembly and Governor that outlines the work of the Office and progress made towards suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention, beginning on October 15, 2026.

(7) Create the State’s Suicide Prevention Plan, with approval of the suicide prevention coalition, and update it no fewer than every three years.

The Act provides that the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health will choose a Director to carry out the Office’s duties.