FILED ON: 2/2/2012

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3924

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Twelve

_______________

An Act A Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to child suicide.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Resolved, that a special commission to consist of 11 members: 3 members of the senate; 1 of whom shall be a member of the joint committee on education; 1 of whom shall be a member of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse; 1 of whom shall be a member of the senate; provided, however, that 1 member of the senate shall be designated as co-chair of the commission; 3 members of the house of representatives; 1 of whom shall be a member of the joint committee on education, 1 of whom shall be a member of the joint committee on mental health; 1 of whom shall be a member of the house of representatives; provided, however, that 1 member of the house of representatives shall be designated as co-chair of the commission; 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or his designee; 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of mental health, or his designee; and 3 members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, 1 of whom shall be a member of the mental health advisory council established under section 11 chapter 19 of the General Laws, and 1 of whom shall be an advocate for pediatric early childhood mental health, is hereby established for the purpose of making an investigation and study relative to strategies for suicide prevention and the resources necessary to assist elementary and secondary schools identify and assist children at risk. The commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry out such recommendations, by filing the same with the clerks of the senate and the house and who shall forward the same to the chairs of the joint committee on education and the chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and the chairs of the joint committee on children and families and the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means on or before December 31, 2012.