45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH; IMPLEMENTING YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGIES; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS.--The department of health shall implement youth suicide best practice prevention strategies in conformance with the department's suicide prevention plan recommendations. The youth suicide prevention strategies shall be implemented in the public schools, juvenile detention facilities, public post-secondary educational institutions and programs serving out-of-school youth. Implementation of the strategies shall include the enhancement of current twenty-four-hour-per-day toll-free hotlines for youth crisis intervention, additional depression screening tools, provision of appropriate emergency assistance response and an active mental health referral process for the person in need; and suicide prevention education and training of adult and youth gatekeepers to recognize and respond to suicide warning signs.

Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of health for expenditure in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 to implement the department's youth suicide prevention strategies. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2003 shall revert to the general fund.