Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, Dept. of

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not explicitly state promoting reduction of lethal means, but it requires research on how to reduce such access.

Suicide Prevention Program for Tennessee

This bill requires the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to develop a suicide prevention program that includes community support, interventions for those at risk, research on diverse populations, and collaboration with local organizations.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the department to develop and implement a suicide prevention program.
• Supports comprehensive community-based prevention efforts.
• Conducts positive interventions with persons who have threatened or attempted suicide.
• Partners with local organizations to implement the program in communities.
• Conducts research on suicide rates among diverse populations.
• Conducts research on how to reduce access to lethal means for those at risk of suicide.
• Implements postvention support for a person who has attempted suicide and their family.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
• People who have threatened or attempted suicide
• Local organizations working with mental health issues

Terms To Know

Upstream prevention

Actions taken before a problem occurs to prevent it.

Postvention support

Support given after someone has attempted suicide, for the person and their family.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much funding will be provided.
• It is unclear what specific local organizations will be involved in implementing the program.
• Details on the rules that the department can make to carry out this act are not fully explained.

Official Summary Text

This bill requires the
department of mental health and substance abuse services
to
develop and implement a suicide prevention program
, which must (i) s
upport upstream comprehensive community-based suicide prevention;

(
ii
)
c
onduct positive interventions with persons who have threatened or attempted suicide;

(
iii
)
p
artner with local organizations to implement such program in communities;

(
iv
)
c
onduct research on suicide rates among diverse populations; (
v
)
c
onduct research on how to reduce the access of leth
al means among persons at risk of suicide; and (
vi
)
i
mplement postvention support for a person who has attempted suicide and for such person's family.
This bill encourages the
department to collaborate with qualified mental health professionals in the development and implementation of this program.

ANNUAL REPORT

On or before January 1 of each year,
this bill requires
the department
to
submit a report to the health and welfare committee of the senate and the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over health-related matters on this program and any suggestions from the department based upon the research conducted
from the previous calendar year.

RULEMAKING

This bill authorizes the
department to promulgate rules to effectuate this
bill
.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1354
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 1400
By Pearson

HB1400
003053
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33;
Title 63 and Title 68, relative to suicide.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33, Chapter 1, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) The department shall develop and implement a suicide prevention program.
(b) The program must:
(1) Support upstream comprehensive community-based suicide
prevention;
(2) Conduct positive interventions with persons who have threatened or
attempted suicide;
(3) Partner with local organizations to implement such program in
communities;
(4) Conduct research on suicide rates among diverse populations;
(5) Conduct research on how to reduce the access of lethal means
among persons at risk of suicide; and
(6) Implement postvention support for a person who has attempted
suicide and for such person's family.
(c) The department is encouraged to collaborate with qualified mental health
professionals in the development and implementation of this program.
(d) On or before January 1 of each year, the department shall submit a report to
the health and welfare committee of the senate and the committee of the house of

- 2 - 003053

representatives having jurisdiction over health-related matters on this program and any
suggestions from the department based upon the research conducted from the previous
calendar year.
(e) The department is authorized to promulgate rules to effectuate this section.
The rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative
Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
SECTION 2. For the purposes of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon
becoming law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July 1,
2025, the public welfare requiring it.