SCS/HCS/HBs 59 & 269 - This act requires the Department of Mental Health to develop suicide prevention and mental health plans and creates an Advisory Council on pain management.

New language in Section 192.350 establishes the Missouri State Advisory Council on Pain and Symptom Management. The Advisory Council will consist of nineteen members, who will be appointed by February 1, 2004. The Advisory Council shall:

-Hold public hearings to gather information relating to pain management;

-Make recommendations on acute and chronic pain management practices;

-Analyze statutes, rules, and regulations relating to pain management;

-Study the use of alternative therapies and any sanctions imposed;

-Examine the needs of adults, children, the terminally ill, and minorities that have acute and chronic pain;

-Review the pain management education materials provided by professional licensing boards;

-Make recommendations to health care professionals for integrating pain management into their practices;

-Make recommendations regarding continuing education requirements for pain management;

-Review guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and

-Prepare an annual report to deliver to the Speaker, Pro Tem, and Governor by February 1st of each year.

Members of the Council will serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for any expenses incurred. The Department of Health and Senior Services will provide administrative support and current staff as necessary to the Council.

Section 630.900 requires the Director of the Department of Mental Health, in partnership with the Department of Health and Senior Services, to design a state suicide prevention plan. The Departments of Mental Health and Health and Senior Services shall work collaboratively with the Departments of Social Services, Elementary and Secondary Education, Higher Education, and Corrections to develop the plan. The state suicide prevention plan must:

-Promote the use of employee assistance and workplace programs to support employees with depression, psychiatric illnesses, and substance abuse disorders;

-Promote the use of student assistance and educational programs to support students with depression, psychiatric illnesses, and substance abuse disorders;

-Provide training and technical assistance to local public health and community-based professionals on the best practices to prevent suicides;

-Establish a toll-free suicide prevention hotline;

-Coordinate with federal, state and local agencies in order to collect and analyze data on suicide and suicidal behaviors;

-Annually issue a public report; and

-Recommend any statutory changes and implementation and funding requirements of the plan.

The proposed state suicide prevention plan must be submitted to the General Assembly by December 31, 2004.

A new Section 633.032 requires the Department of Mental Health to develop a plan to address the needs of persons who are on a waiting list for services. The plan must emphasize the partnership between developmentally disabled individuals and their families, community providers, and state officials. The plan shall include:

-A method for reducing the waiting period to ninety days;

-A description of available services;

-An evaluation of the capacity to serve more individuals;

-A method of adjusting support and service levels based on individual needs;

-A method for determining when 24-hour out-of-home care is necessary;

-A description on how the plan will be implemented;

-An analysis of the monetary effects to providing services to all eligible individuals and their families.

The plan must be completed by November 1, 2003, and submitted to the General Assembly and the Governor.
LORIE TOWE