Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1752
By
Senator DiCeglie
18-00921C-26 20261752__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to suicide and drug overdose
3 prevention; creating ss. 394.47893 and 394.47894,
4 F.S.; providing legislative intent and purpose;
5 creating the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee and
6 the Suicide Death Review Committee, respectively,
7 within the Department of Health for specified
8 purposes; requiring local public health departments to
9 establish local review committees for a specified
10 purpose; providing for membership of the committees
11 and duties of the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee
12 and the Suicide Death Review Committee, respectively;
13 authorizing external stakeholders to review specified
14 information; providing for stakeholder participation;
15 requiring the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee and
16 the Suicide Death Review Committee, respectively, to
17 annually submit a report to the Department of Health
18 and the Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council by a
19 specified date; providing requirements for the report;
20 authorizing the chair of the committees to access
21 certain records; authorizing the committees to access
22 certain records and information; authorizing providers
23 to charge a specified fee for records; providing
24 requirements for and prohibitions on the use of such
25 records and information; authorizing the chair of the
26 Drug Overdose Death Review Committee and the Suicide
27 Death Review Committee, respectively, to issue
28 subpoenas for records; providing construction;
29 providing that persons who attend a committee meeting
30 or otherwise participate in committee activities may
31 not be required to testify in any proceeding as to any
32 records or information related to such meetings or
33 activities; providing certain entities and persons
34 immunity from liability for participating in or
35 furnishing records or information to a committee;
36 providing applicability; authorizing the Department of
37 Health, or any political subdivision of the state
38 operating a local review committee, to administer
39 certain funds for the operation of the committees,
40 apply for grants and accept donations, and, to the
41 extent funds are available, hire staff or consultants
42 and reimburse reasonable expenses; authorizing the
43 State Surgeon General or a county or city
44 administrator to substitute certain existing entities
45 for purposes of carrying out the responsibilities of
46 the committees; requiring each regional managing
47 director of the Department of Children and Families to
48 appoint a local review committee representative;
49 providing requirements for the representative;
50 requiring the Department of Health to adopt rules;
51 providing an effective date.
52
53 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
54
55 Section 1. Section 394.47893, Florida Statutes, is created
56 to read:
57
394.47893
Drug overdose review; Drug Overdose Death Review
58
Committee; local review committees.—
59
(1)
LEGISLATIVE
INTENT
;
PURPOSE.—It is the intent of the
60
Legislature to establish multidisciplinary, multiagency,
61
epidemiological drug overdose death review committees. The local
62
committees shall review the facts and circumstances of drug
63
related deaths
that
occur within each committee jurisdiction.
64
The local review committees shall work cooperatively. The
65
primary function of the local review committees is to conduct
66
individual case reviews of drug overdose deaths; identify
67
factors contributing to those deaths; make recommendations for
68
system, policy, and practice improvements at the local and state
69
level; promote interagency collaboration and data sharing
70
consistent with federal and state confidentiality protections;
71
and inform prevention initiatives through accurate, timely, and
72
comprehensive data. The purpose of the local review committees
73
is to:
74
(a)
Achieve a greater understanding of the causes and
75
contributing factors of deaths resulting from drug overdose.
76
(b)
Whenever possible, develop a communitywide approach to
77
address the causes and contributing factors.
78
(c)
Identify any gaps, deficiencies, or problems in the
79
delivery of services to individuals by public and private
80
agencies which may be related to deaths that are the result of
81
drug overdose.
82
(d)
Recommend changes in law, rules, and policies at the
83
state and local levels, as well as develop practice standards
84
that support the safe and healthy stabilization of individuals
85
and reduce preventable deaths.
86
(e)
Following internal
review
of identified cases, engage
87
community stakeholders as part of a deidentified review of case
88
findings from the
review
group for broader insights about gaps,
89
deficiencies, or observed themes that identify problems or
90
prevention practices.
91
(f)
Implement such recommendations, to the extent possible.
92
(2)
DRUG OVERDOSE DEATH REVIEW COMMITTEE.—The Drug Overdose
93
Death Review Committee is established within the Department of
94
Health to
review
deaths resulting from drug overdose. Local
95
public health departments shall establish local review
96
committees
,
which shall provide review results to the Drug
97
Overdose Death Review Committee.
98
(a)
Membership
.—
99
1.a.
The Drug Overdose Death Review Committee shall, at a
100
minimum, include representatives appointed by the State Surgeon
101
General from all of the following:
102
(I)
The Department of Health.
103
(II)
County and
city
health and human service
s
departments
104
or divisions.
105
(III)
The medical examiner’s office.
106
(
IV
)
Local managing entities that are contracted by the
107
Department of Children and Families.
108
(V)
Emergency medical services.
109
(
VI
)
Next of kin of persons whose deaths resulted from drug
110
overdose.
111
b.
The members of the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee
112
shall be appointed to staggered terms not to exceed 2 years
113
each, as determined by the State Surgeon General. Members may be
114
appointed to no more than three consecutive terms. The Drug
115
Overdose Death Review Committee shall elect a
chair
from among
116
its members to serve for a 2-year term, and the
chair
may
117
appoint ad hoc committees as necessary to carry out the duties
118
of the committee.
119
2.a.
Local committees may include representatives appointed
120
by county health department directors, to the extent available,
121
from:
122
(
I
)
The Agency for Health Care Administration.
123
(II)
County and
city
health and human service
s
departments
124
or divisions.
125
(III)
Hospitals and health systems.
126
(IV)
Behavioral health service providers and recovery
127
organizations.
128
(V)
Judges and public defenders from the judicial circuit.
129
(VI)
Poison control centers.
130
b.
The members of a local committee shall be appointed to
131
2-year terms and may be reappointed. The local review committee
132
shall elect a
chair
from among its members to serve for a 2-year
133
term. Members shall serve without compensation but may receive
134
reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the
135
performance of their duties as provided in s. 112.061 and to the
136
extent that funds are available.
137
(b)
Duties.
—The Drug Overdose Death Review Committee shall:
138
1.
Develop standardized protocols and data collection
139
instruments for use by the local review committees.
140
2.
Review
selected cases for drug overdose death review.
141
3.
Maintain a protected database of reviewed fatalities to
142
safeguard disclosure of private and protected health information
143
and to inventory the cases reviewed. The
chair
and
vice chair
of
144
the review committee shall have access to this protected
145
database. The protected database shall be created by the
146
Department of Health.
147
4.
Study the adequacy of laws, rules, training, and
148
services to determine what changes are needed to decrease the
149
incidence of drug overdose deaths and develop strategies and
150
recruit partners to implement these changes.
151
5.
Promote continuing education for professionals who
152
review
, treat, and prevent deaths related to drug overdose.
153
6.
Recommend, when appropriate,
a
review of the death
154
certificate of any individual who died as a result of drug
155
overdose.
156
7.
Assist the Department of Health in collecting data on
157
deaths that are the result of drug overdose.
158
8.
Submit written reports as requested by the Department of
159
Children and Families. The reports must include:
160
a.
Nonidentifying information from individual cases.
161
b.
Identification of any problems with the data system
162
uncovered during the review process and the committee’s
163
recommendations for system improvements and needed resources,
164
training, and information dissemination, where gaps or
165
deficiencies may exist.
166
c.
All steps taken by the local review committees and
167
private and public agencies to implement necessary changes and
168
improve the coordination of services and reviews.
169
9.
Submit all records requested by the Department of
170
Children and Families at the conclusion of the review of a death
171
resulting from drug overdose.
172
(3)
LOCAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.—Following internal
review
173
by the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee, external
174
stakeholders may review nonidentifiable case findings to
175
generate broader insights into the findings of cases reviewed,
176
to supplement identification of themes
and
problems
,
and
to
177
develop prevention recommendations. Stakeholder participants
178
shall include representatives, to the extent available, from:
179
(a)
The state attorney’s office.
180
(b)
Community-based service agencies.
181
(c)
Persons with lived experience in recovery or loss
182
survivors.
183
(d)
Law enforcement agencies.
184
(e)
Middle schools and high schools.
185
(f)
Physicians.
186
(g)
Social workers.
187
(4)
ANNUAL STATISTICAL REPORT.—The Drug Overdose Death
188
Review Committee shall prepare and submit a comprehensive
189
statistical report by December 1, 2027, and annually thereafter,
190
to the Department of Health and the Statewide Drug Policy
191
Advisory Council
which
includes data, trends, analysis,
192
findings, and recommendations for state and local action
193
regarding
reviewe
d deaths from drug overdose. The data must be
194
presented on an individual calendar year basis and in the
195
context of a multiyear trend. At a minimum, the report must
196
include all of the following:
197
(a)
Descriptive statistics, including demographic
198
information
,
regarding victims and the causes and nature of
199
deaths.
200
(b)
A detailed statistical analysis of the incidence and
201
causes of deaths.
202
(c)
Specific issues identified within current policy,
203
procedure, rule, or statute and recommendations to address those
204
issues from both the state and local committees.
205
(d)
Other recommendations to prevent drug overdose deaths
206
based on an analysis of the data presented in the report.
207
(5)
ACCESS TO AND USE OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION.—
208
(a)
Notwithstanding any other law, the chair of the Drug
209
Overdose Death Review Committee, or the chair of a local review
210
committee, may access any information or records that pertain to
211
an individual whose death is being reviewed by the committee and
212
are necessary for the committee to carry out its duties,
213
including information or records that pertain to a child’s
214
family and all of the following:
215
1.
Patient records in the possession of a public or private
216
provider of medical
care
, dental
care
, substance use treatment,
217
or mental health care, including, but not limited to, a facility
218
licensed under
this chapter,
chapter 393, or chapter 395, or a
219
health care practitioner as defined in s. 456.001. Providers may
220
charge a fee for copies not to exceed 50 cents per page for
221
paper records and $1 per fiche for microfiche records.
222
2.
Information or records of any state or local agency or
223
political subdivision which may assist a committee in reviewing
224
a death, including, but not limited to, information or records
225
of the Department of Children and Families, the Department of
226
Health, the Department of Education, the Department of Juvenile
227
Justice, the Agency for Health Care Administration, or any
228
health facility licensed by this state.
229
(b)
The Drug Overdose Death Review Committee or a local
230
review committee may access all information of a medical
231
examiner or law enforcement agency
which
is not the subject of
232
an active investigation and
which
pertains to the review of
a
233
death. A committee may not disclose any information that is not
234
subject to public disclosure by the law enforcement agency, and
235
active criminal intelligence information or criminal
236
investigative information, as defined in s. 119.011(3), may not
237
be made available for review or access under this section. The
238
committee may not disclose any information or records that
239
contain personally identifiable information of a decedent or
240
family member; health
,
treatment, or social service records; law
241
enforcement or medical examiner records related to the decedent;
242
or information that would identify a provider involved in the
243
care of the decedent.
244
(c)
L
ocal review committees may share with each other any
245
relevant information that pertains to the review of the drug
246
overdose death.
247
(d)
A member of the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee or
248
a local review committee may contact, interview, or obtain
249
information by request from a member of a dece
dent
’s family as
250
part of a committee’s next of kin interview process to inform
251
the review of a death. A member of the dece
dent
’s family may
252
voluntarily provide records or information to the Drug Overdose
253
Death Review Committee or a local review committee.
254
(e)
The chair of the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee
255
may require the production of records by requesting a subpoena,
256
through the Department of Legal Affairs, in any county of the
257
state. Such subpoena is effective throughout the state and may
258
be served by any sheriff. Failure to obey the subpoena is
259
punishable as provided by general law.
260
(f)
This subsection does not authorize the members of any
261
committee to have access to any grand jury proceedings.
262
(g)
A person who has attended a meeting of a committee or
263
who has otherwise participated in activities authorized by this
264
section may not be authorized or required to testify in any
265
civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding as to any records
266
or information produced or presented to a committee during
267
meetings or other activities authorized by this section.
268
However, this paragraph does not prevent any person who presents
269
information to the committee or who is a member of the committee
270
from testifying as to matters otherwise within his or her
271
knowledge. An organization, institution, committee member, or
272
other person who participates or furnishes information, data,
273
reports, or records to a committee is not liable for damages to
274
any person and is not subject to any other civil, criminal, or
275
administrative recourse. This paragraph does not apply to any
276
person who admits to committing a crime.
277
(6)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESPONSIBILITIES.—
278
(a)
The Department of Health, or any political subdivision
279
of the state operating a local review committee, may administer
280
the funds appropriated to operate the review committees and may
281
apply for grants and accept donations.
282
(b)
To the extent that funds are available, the Department
283
of Health
,
or any political subdivision of the state, may hire
284
staff or consultants to assist a review committee in performing
285
its duties. Funds may also be used to reimburse reasonable
286
expenses of the staff and consultants for the committees.
287
(c)
For the purpose of carrying out the responsibilities
288
assigned to the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee and local
289
review committees, the State Surgeon General or a county or
city
290
administrator may substitute an existing entity whose function
291
and organization includes the function and organization of the
292
committees established under this section.
293
(7)
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RESPONSIBILITIES.
294
Each regional managing director of the Department of Children
295
and Families must appoint a local review representative for the
296
region. The representative must have knowledge and expertise in
297
the area of drug overdose. The representative’s general
298
responsibilities include:
299
(a)
Coordinating with the local review committee.
300
(b)
Participati
ng
in the implementation of the drug
301
overdose death review process and all regional activities
302
related to the review of drug overdose deaths.
303
(c)
Working with the Drug Overdose Death Review Committee
304
and the contracted managing entity to ensure that the reviews
305
are thorough and that all issues are appropriately addressed.
306
(d)
Ensuring that all critical issues identified by the
307
local review committee are brought to the attention of the
308
regional managing director and the Secretary of Children and
309
Families.
310
(e)
Providing technical assistance to the Drug Overdose
311
Death Review Committee during the review of any drug overdose
312
death.
313
(8)
RULEMAKING.—The Department of Health shall adopt rules
314
necessary to implement this section.
315 Section 2. Section 394.47894, Florida Statutes, is created
316 to read:
317
394.47894
Suicide review; Suicide Death Review Committee;
318
local review committees.—
319
(1)
LEGISLATIVE
INTENT
;
PURPOSE.—It is the intent of the
320
Legislature to establish multidisciplinary, multiagency,
321
epidemiological suicide death review committees. The local
322
committees shall review the facts and circumstances of suicide
323
deaths
that
occur within each committee jurisdiction. The local
324
review committees shall work cooperatively. The primary function
325
of the local review committees is to conduct individual case
326
reviews of suicide deaths; identify factors contributing to
327
those deaths; make recommendations for system, policy, and
328
practice improvements at the local and state level; promote
329
interagency collaboration and data sharing consistent with
330
federal and state confidentiality protections; and inform
331
prevention initiatives through accurate, timely, and
332
comprehensive data. The purpose of the local review committees
333
is to:
334
(a)
Achieve a greater understanding of the causes and
335
contributing factors of deaths resulting from suicide.
336
(b)
Whenever possible, develop a communitywide approach to
337
address the causes and contributing factors.
338
(c)
Identify any gaps, deficiencies, or problems in the
339
delivery of services to individuals by public and private
340
agencies which may be related to deaths that are the result of
341
suicide.
342
(d)
Recommend changes in law, rules, and policies at the
343
state and local levels, as well as develop practice standards
344
that support the safe and healthy stabilization of individuals
345
and reduce preventable deaths.
346
(e)
Following internal
review
of identified cases, engage
347
community stakeholders as part of a deidentified review of case
348
findings from the
review
group for broader insights about gaps,
349
deficiencies, or observed themes that identify problems or
350
prevention practices.
351
(f)
Implement such recommendations, to the extent possible.
352
(2)
SUICIDE DEATH REVIEW COMMITTEE.—The Suicide Death
353
Review Committee is established within the Department of Health
354
to
review
deaths resulting from suicide. Local public health
355
departments shall establish local review committees
,
which shall
356
provide review results to the Suicide Death Review Committee.
357
(a)
Membership.
—
358
1.a.
The Suicide Death Review Committee shall, at a
359
minimum, include representatives appointed by the State Surgeon
360
General from all of the following:
361
(I)
The Department of Health.
362
(II)
County and
city
health and human service
s
departments
363
or divisions.
364
(III)
The medical examiner’s office.
365
(IV)
Local managing entities that are contracted by the
366
Department of Children and Families.
367
(V)
Emergency medical services.
368
(VI)
Next of kin of persons whose deaths resulted from
369
suicide.
370
b.
The members of the Suicide Death Review Committee shall
371
be appointed to staggered terms not to exceed 2 years each, as
372
determined by the State Surgeon General. Members may be
373
appointed to no more than three consecutive terms. The Suicide
374
Death Review Committee shall elect a
chair
from among its
375
members to serve for a 2-year term, and the
chair
may appoint ad
376
hoc committees as necessary to carry out the duties of the
377
committee.
378
2.a.
Local committees may include representatives appointed
379
by county health department directors, to the extent available,
380
from:
381
(I)
The Agency for Health Care Administration.
382
(II)
County and
city
health and human service
s
departments
383
or divisions.
384
(III)
Hospitals and health systems.
385
(IV)
Behavioral health service providers and recovery
386
organizations.
387
(V)
Judges and public defenders from the judicial circuit.
388
(VI)
Poison control centers.
389
b.
The members of a local committee shall be appointed to
390
2-year terms and may be reappointed. The local review committee
391
shall elect a
chair
from among its members to serve for a 2-year
392
term. Members shall serve without compensation but may receive
393
reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the
394
performance of their duties as provided in s. 112.061 and to the
395
extent that funds are available.
396
(b)
Duties.
—The Suicide Death Review Committee shall:
397
1.
Develop standardized protocols and data collection
398
instruments for use by the local review committees.
399
2.
Review
selected cases for
review of deaths from
suicide.
400
3.
Maintain a protected database of reviewed fatalities to
401
safeguard disclosure of private and protected health information
402
and to inventory the cases reviewed. The
c
hair and
v
ice
c
hair of
403
the review committee shall have access to this protected
404
database. The protected database shall be created by the
405
Department of Health.
406
4.
Study the adequacy of laws, rules, training, and
407
services to determine what changes are needed to decrease the
408
incidence of suicide
s
and develop strategies and recruit
409
partners to implement these changes.
410
5.
Promote continuing education for professionals who
411
review
, treat, and prevent deaths related to suicide.
412
6.
Recommend, when appropriate, the review of the death
413
certificate of any individual who died as a result of suicide.
414
7.
Assist the Department of Health in collecting data on
415
deaths that are the result of suicide.
416
8.
Submit written reports as requested by the Department of
417
Health. The reports must include:
418
a.
Nonidentifying information from individual cases.
419
b.
Identification of any problems with the data system
420
uncovered during the review process and the committee’s
421
recommendations for system improvements and needed resources,
422
training, and information dissemination, where gaps or
423
deficiencies may exist.
424
c.
All steps taken by the local review committees and
425
private and public agencies to implement necessary changes and
426
improve the coordination of services and reviews.
427
9.
Submit all records requested by the Department of Health
428
at the conclusion of the review of a death resulting from
429
suicide.
430
(3)
LOCAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.—Following internal
review
431
by the Suicide Death Review Committee, external stakeholders may
432
review nonidentifiable case findings to generate broader
433
insights into the findings of cases reviewed, to supplement
434
identification of themes
and
problems
,
and
to
develop prevention
435
recommendations. Stakeholder participants shall include
436
representatives, to the extent available, from:
437
(a)
The state attorney’s office.
438
(b)
Community-based service agencies.
439
(c)
Persons with lived experience in recovery or loss
440
survivors.
441
(d)
Law enforcement agencies.
442
(e)
Middle schools and high schools.
443
(f)
Physicians.
444
(g)
Social workers.
445
(4)
ANNUAL STATISTICAL REPORT.—The Suicide Death Review
446
Committee shall prepare and submit a comprehensive statistical
447
report by December 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, to the
448
Department of Health and the Department of Children and Families
449
and the Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council
which
includes
450
data, trends, analysis, findings, and recommendations for state
451
and local action regarding
reviewe
d deaths from suicide. The
452
data must be presented on an individual calendar year basis and
453
in the context of a multiyear trend. At a minimum, the report
454
must include all of the following:
455
(a)
Descriptive statistics, including demographic
456
information
,
regarding victims and the causes and nature of
457
deaths.
458
(b)
A detailed statistical analysis of the incidence and
459
causes of deaths.
460
(c)
Specific issues identified within current policy,
461
procedure, rule, or statute and recommendations to address those
462
issues from both the state and local committees.
463
(d)
Other recommendations to prevent suicide
s
based on an
464
analysis of the data presented in the report.
465
(5)
ACCESS TO AND USE OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION.—
466
(a)
Notwithstanding any other law, the chair of the Suicide
467
Death Review Committee, or the chair of a local review
468
committee, may access any information or records that pertain to
469
an individual whose death is being reviewed by the committee and
470
are necessary for the committee to carry out its duties,
471
including information or records that pertain to a child’s
472
family and all of the following:
473
1.
Patient records in the possession of a public or private
474
provider of medical
care
, dental
care
, substance use treatment,
475
or mental health care, including, but not limited to, a facility
476
licensed under
this chapter,
chapter 393, or chapter 395, or a
477
health care practitioner as defined in s. 456.001. Providers may
478
charge a fee for copies not to exceed 50 cents per page for
479
paper records and $1 per fiche for microfiche records.
480
2.
Information or records of any state or local agency or
481
political subdivision which may assist a committee in reviewing
482
a death, including, but not limited to, information or records
483
of the Department of Children and Families, the Department of
484
Health, the Department of Education, the Department of Juvenile
485
Justice, the Agency for Health Care Administration, or any
486
health facility licensed by this state.
487
(b)
The Suicide Death Review Committee or a local review
488
committee may access all information of a medical examiner or
489
law enforcement agency that is not the subject of an active
490
investigation and that pertains to the review of
a
death. A
491
committee may not disclose any information that is not subject
492
to public disclosure by the law enforcement agency, and active
493
criminal intelligence information or criminal investigative
494
information, as defined in s. 119.011(3), may not be made
495
available for review or access under this section. The committee
496
may not disclose any information or records that contain
497
personally identifiable information of a decedent or family
498
member; health
,
treatment, or social service records; law
499
enforcement or medical examiner records related to the decedent;
500
or information that would identify a provider involved in the
501
care of the decedent.
502
(c)
L
ocal review committees may share with each other any
503
relevant information that pertains to the review of the suicide.
504
(d)
A member of the Suicide Death Review Committee or a
505
local review committee may contact, interview, or obtain
506
information by request from a member of a dece
dent
’s family as
507
part of a committee’s next of kin interview process to inform
508
the review of a death. A member of the dece
dent
’s family may
509
voluntarily provide records or information to the Suicide Death
510
Review Committee or a local review committee.
511
(e)
The
chair
of the Suicide Death Review Committee may
512
require the production of records by requesting a subpoena,
513
through the Department of Legal Affairs, in any county of the
514
state. Such subpoena is effective throughout the state and may
515
be served by any sheriff. Failure to obey the subpoena is
516
punishable as provided by general law.
517
(f)
This subsection does not authorize the members of any
518
committee to have access to any grand jury proceedings.
519
(g)
A person who has attended a meeting of a committee or
520
who has otherwise participated in activities authorized by this
521
section may not be authorized or required to testify in any
522
civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding as to any records
523
or information produced or presented to a committee during
524
meetings or other activities authorized by this section.
525
However, this paragraph does not prevent any person who presents
526
information to the committee or who is a member of the committee
527
from testifying as to matters otherwise within his or her
528
knowledge. An organization, institution, committee member, or
529
other person who participates
in
or furnishes information, data,
530
reports, or records to a committee is not liable for damages to
531
any person and is not subject to any other civil, criminal, or
532
administrative recourse. This paragraph does not apply to any
533
person who admits to committing a crime.
534
(6)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESPONSIBILITIES.—
535
(a)
The Department of Health, or any political subdivision
536
of the state operating a local review committee, may administer
537
the funds appropriated to operate the review committees and may
538
apply for grants and accept donations.
539
(b)
To the extent that funds are available, the Department
540
of Health or any political subdivision of the state, may hire
541
staff or consultants to assist a review committee in performing
542
its duties. Funds may also be used to reimburse reasonable
543
expenses of the staff and consultants for the committees.
544
(c)
For the purpose of carrying out the responsibilities
545
assigned to the Suicide Death Review Committee and local review
546
committees, the State Surgeon General or a county or
city
547
administrator may substitute an existing entity whose function
548
and organization includes the function and organization of the
549
committees established under this section.
550
(7)
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RESPONSIBILITIES.
551
Each regional managing director of the Department of Children
552
and Families
shall
appoint a local review representative for the
553
region. The representative must have knowledge and expertise in
554
the area of suicide. The representative’s general
555
responsibilities include:
556
(a)
Coordinating with the local review committee.
557
(b)
Participat
ing
in the implementation of the suicide
558
death review process and all regional activities related to the
559
review of
deaths from
suicide.
560
(c)
Working with the Suicide Death Review Committee and the
561
contracted managing entity to ensure that the reviews are
562
thorough and that all issues are appropriately addressed.
563
(d)
Ensuring that all critical issues identified by the
564
local review committee are brought to the attention of the
565
regional managing director and the Secretary of Children and
566
Families.
567
(e)
Providing technical assistance to the Suicide Death
568
Review Committee during the review of any suicide death.
569
(8)
RULEMAKING.—The Department of Health shall adopt rules
570
necessary to implement this section.
571 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.