4513-1026 Suicide Prevention and Intervention Program

For the provision of statewide and community--based suicide prevention, intervention, post--intervention and surveillance activities and the implementation of a statewide suicide prevention plan; provided, that funds shall be expended for a program to address elder suicide behavior and attempts with the geriatric mental health services program within the executive office of aging and independence; provided further, that not less than $30,000 shall be expended to Sharing Kindness, Inc. to support implementation of the Hope Squad peer--to--peer suicide prevention program in schools; and provided further, that funds shall be expended for a veterans--in--crisis hotline to be used by veterans or concerned family members seeking counseling programs operated by the executive office of veterans' services so that they may be directed towards the programs and services offered by their local or regional veterans' services office to be staffed by counselors or outreach program personnel contracted by the department and trained in issues of mental health counseling and veterans' services