MINUTES OF THE
SENATE Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operations
Seventy-First Session
March 6, 2001
The Senate Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operationswas called to order by Chairman Jon C. Porter at 2:25 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6, 2001, in Room 2144 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster. All exhibits are available and on file at the Research Library of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
Senator Jon C. Porter, Chairman
Senator Mark A. James, Vice Chairman
Senator William J. Raggio
Senator Raymond D. Rawson
Senator Dina Titus
Senator Bernice Mathews
Senator Valerie Wiener
GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:
Senator Ann O’Connell, Clark County Senatorial District No. 5
Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons, Washoe County Assembly District No. 25
Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, Washoe County Assembly District No. 27
Assemblyman Mark A. Manendo, Clark County Assembly District No. 18
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
Robert E. Erickson, Committee Policy Analyst
Scott G. Wasserman, Chief Deputy Legislative Counsel
Johnnie L. Willis, Committee Secretary
OTHERS PRESENT:
Linda Flatt, Southern Nevada Community Organizer, Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network; Member, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
Susan Shea, Concerned Citizen
Paul Draher, Concerned Citizen
Ed Atchison, Concerned Citizen
Cindy Marchant, Yellow Ribbon Program of Gardnerville, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
Cheryl Bricker, Executive Director, Partnership of Community Resources
Joyce Newman, Lobbyist, Board Member, American Federation for Suicide Prevention
John Amundson, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program, Partnership for Suicide Prevention
Cari Vander Dussen, Student, University of Nevada Reno; Student Intern, Family Support Council of Douglas County; Volunteer, Crisis Call Center
Lynn Carrigan, Administrator, Nevada Public Health Foundation
Misty Vaughan Allen, Crisis Line Coordinator, Crisis Call Center
Stacy Holybee, Program Assistant, Crisis Call Center
Senator Porter said due to of a lack of a quorum the meeting would start as a subcommittee and would hear testimony on Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 3. He said the other members of the Senate Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operations would arrive soon and the full committee would address Senator Titus’s Bill Draft Request (BDR) R‑1148 for committee introduction.
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 3: Directs Legislative Commission to appoint interim committee to study the problem of suicide and feasibility of creating statewide strategy to prevent suicide. (BDR R‑649)
Senator Ann O’Connell, Clark County Senatorial District No. 5, referring to her handout (Exhibit C), said page 2 shows Nevada has the number one suicide rate in the nation. She emphasized this is something for which Nevada does not want to be number one.
Senator O’Connell noted U.S. Senator Harry Reid has been working on the suicide issue at the national level. She said U.S. Senator Reid has been trying to improve the awareness of how serious suicide is. She reiterated Nevada is number one in the nation for suicides.
Senator O’Connell stated the people committed to this issue are trying to coordinate their efforts at the state level with the efforts U.S. Senator Reid is making at the national level. She said the best way to start is to make an effort to find the cause of Nevada’s high suicide rate. Senator O’Connell said a way needs to be found to help suicidal people who are having traumatic times and to help the families that may be left behind.
Linda Flatt, Southern Nevada Community Organizer, Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network; Member, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program, said in June 1993, her son Paul mixed chemicals together to make cyanide gas; he inhaled those fumes and intentionally ended his life at the age of 25. As a result, she said, “I am the survivor of my son’s suicide and have become an advocate for the improvement of suicide prevention efforts in the United States and the state of Nevada.” Ms. Flatt urged the Legislature to begin the process to change the way Nevada deals with suicide education, suicide prevention, suicide intervention, and suicide bereavement support.
Ms. Flatt said over 30,000 people in the United State kill themselves each year, and for over a decade Nevada has led the nation in the number of suicides. She pointed out, according to statistics released by the American Association of Suicidology, 30,575 Americans committed suicide in 1998, which is a national average rate of 11.3 per 100,000 people. Ms. Flatt added that Nevada’s suicide rate was 22.7 per 100,000 people, which is over double the national average. She said suicide was the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 1998, but was the sixth leading cause of death in Nevada for the same year. Ms. Flatt said, according to the Nevada Bureau of Planning and Statistics, more Nevadans died by suicide in 1998 than by homicide, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), or motor vehicle accidents.
Ms. Flatt stated the statistics clearly show suicide is a serious public health issue in our state. She said there are currently limited resources for research, public education, counseling, crisis hotlines, and survivor care. Ms. Flatt said the American Association of Suicidology lists only one accredited crisis intervention resource in Nevada, the Crisis Call Center in Reno.
Ms. Flatt stated many suicides are preventable. She said in the survivor support group she facilitates, survivors have pulled themselves out of some very dark places with the support of their families, the encouragement of the group, professional counseling, medication, and hospitalization, when necessary. Ms. Flatt said prevention is often a matter of the right, caring person with the right information being in the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, she said, the shroud of secrecy that surrounds suicide, cultural and religious stigma, and misconception often prevent the conversations that might pass on that life saving information.
Ms. Flatt said if the seriousness of the problem is acknowledged, and if the possibility of a solution is embraced, then a strategy can deliver the desired results, which is to save lives.
Continuing, Ms. Flatt explained the efforts to develop a proven, effective national strategy for the prevention of suicide are in process at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. She said a working draft of that strategy was developed during a suicide prevention conference in Reno, Nevada, in October 1998.
Ms. Flatt said United States Surgeon General, David Satcher, M.D., issued a call to action to prevent suicide in the United States in 1999. She said the Surgeon General’s call to action introduced an initial blueprint for reducing suicide and the associated toll that mental and substance abuse disorders take in the United States. Ms. Flatt said the Surgeon General’s recommendations should serve as a framework for immediate action at the community level.
Ms. Flatt said there are currently over 20 states working to develop and implement statewide suicide prevention strategies. Even though there is a funded statewide, toll-free suicide hotline in Nevada, there is still a lot of work to do, she added.
Ms. Flatt said, since 1997, U.S. Senator Harry Reid, a survivor of his father’s suicide, has led the U.S. Capitol Hill initiative to provide federal funding specifically for suicide prevention programs. She said U.S. Senator Reid presented landmark legislation to the U.S. Senate in May of 1997, which called for the recognition of suicide as a serious national public health problem, prevention of suicide as a national priority, and improved accessibility and affordability of mental health service for those persons at risk for suicide. Ms. Flatt noted that U.S. Senator Reid’s legislation passed unanimously the day it was presented, which is not a common occurrence.
Ms. Flatt said, in September 1998, federal funding was appropriated for the establishment of the Suicide Prevention Research Center of the University of Nevada School of Medicine Trauma Institute in Las Vegas. She noted Congress recently approved $300,000 to evaluate the effectiveness and responsiveness of suicide hotlines and crisis centers and to support a national toll-free suicide hotline. Ms. Flatt stated public law signed October 2000 would provide $75 million for suicide prevention programs specific to children and adolescents. She said the Kennedy/Domenici Mental Health Early Intervention, Treatment, and Prevention Act of 2000 (not yet passed) would provide funding for suicide prevention for all age groups. Ms. Flatt said the hope is that programs developed in Nevada will eventually receive a share of those federal funds.
Ms. Flatt stated that 2 years ago she told another Nevada Senate committee that her mission was to change the August 29, 1997, Las Vegas Review Journal headline from “Nevada, West Leading the Nation in Suicide Rates” to “Nevada Leads the Nation in Suicide Prevention Efforts.” She said the passing of S.C.R. 3 would be a beginning toward that end.
Senator Porter pointed out the Nevada Legislature has never addressed the issue of suicide as the primary topic of an interim study.
Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons, Washoe County Assembly District No. 25, said she supports Senator O’Connell’s efforts with S.C.R. 3. She said this is a very important issue and has affected many people. She declared it happened to her, and it happened to U.S. Senator Reid. She stated suicide happens too often in Nevada and the problem urgently needs to be studied.
Assemblywoman Gibbons said suicide affects survivors throughout their entire lives. She emphasized the hope is this study will make a difference to potential suicides through intervention, and to survivors of suicide through post-suicide counseling. She said suicide leaves a stigma on the friends and family left behind, and that this study could help the way those individuals deal with the issue and how they are treated. Assemblywoman Gibbons said this study could help produce understanding as to why people give up on life and how to help them. She urged the committee to pass this legislation.
Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, Washoe County Senatorial District No. 27, said she also supports S.C.R. 3. She said it was an important step when Nevada Governor Kenny C. Guinn funded the Crisis Call Center so there would be a statewide crisis phone line. Assemblywoman Leslie stated this was a wonderful first step, but this study could take this issue even further. What is lacking, she said, is a comprehensive prevention strategy and a comprehensive services strategy.
Assemblywoman Leslie said there are at least three state agencies that are dealing with this issue. She commented these agencies do not always coordinate their efforts, even though they are all part of the Department of Human Resources. Assemblywoman Leslie said those human resource agencies that deal with suicide are the Division of Child and Family Services, the Division of Mental Health and Developmental Services, and the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Assemblywoman Leslie noted Nevada leads the nation in youth suicide as well as adult suicide, and suicide is often connected to substance abuse. She pointed out that the interim study could help coordinate the efforts of all the entities that deal with this issue.
Assemblywoman Leslie stated this issue is not just a public health issue, it is a public health epidemic. She said it is surprising that the legislature has not studied this issue, given that Nevada has lead the nation in suicides for many years. Assemblywoman Leslie stated Nevada’s suicide rate is double the national average for suicides and that fact implies an epidemic. She emphasized it is past time to study this issue.
Susan Shea, Concerned Citizen, said she is also a survivor of suicide. She commented suicide is a shrouded issue. Ms. Shea said the study of substance abuse and suicide could hold some of the answers to this problem. She explained survivors deal with trust issues and “people interaction issues” on a continuous basis. Ms. Shea said survivors experience stigma and often believe if someone as close to them as a parent committed suicide, they have done something terribly bad. She stated if just one person benefits from the proposed study, the study would be justified.
Paul Draher, Concerned Citizen, said he is in the unique position of having survived an attempted suicide. He said, thanks to intervention, he has turned his life around and is now trying to give something back to his community instead of trying to end his life. He said he is in full support of S.C.R. 3 and urged the committee to pass the resolution to study suicide.
Ed Atchison, Concerned Citizen, said he is the former chairperson of a senior suicide prevention task force that no longer exists. He said he believes human life should not have a price tag, and there is nothing more valuable than a human being. Mr. Atchison said he supports S.C.R. 3 whole-heartedly and requested the committee to not let the price of this study be a deterrent to passing this legislation.
Senator Porter announced the Senate Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operation now had a quorum.
Cindy Marchant, Yellow Ribbon Program of Gardnerville, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program, said on June 22, 1998, her husband and she lost their son to suicide. He was 13 years old and had just completed the seventh grade. Ms. Marchant said she wanted the committee to know victims of suicide are not just numbers on a statistics sheet. She stated she wants the committee to know that suicide victims are sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents.
Ms. Marchant said immediately following their son’s death she and her husband tried to educate themselves about suicide. She noted one of the things they learned was Nevada ranks first in the nation for suicide for both adults and youth. Ms. Marchant stated that Nevada has many things to be proud of, but this record is not one of them. She declared, “Shame on us if we continue to look the other way and do nothing. This problem is not going to go away by itself.”
Ms. Marchant explained after their son’s death she and her husband received information about the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program and decided to initiate the program in their community. She said many community members have joined to form a yellow ribbon task force. Ms. Marchant stated for the first year the task force focused on having the founder of the program speak to the students of the Douglas County schools.
Ms. Marchant mentioned that in the past year she and her husband formed another speaking panel that included the area youth and others who have either experienced a suicide loss or attempted suicide. She noted the efforts in Douglas County have been well received by the community.
Ms. Marchant concluded by urging the committee to pass S.C.R. 3. She said Nevada needs this kind of study so that someday no one will have to suffer this kind of loss. Ms. Marchant said, realistically, suicide will never be eradicated, but implementing a Nevada strategy for suicide prevention could drastically reduce the numbers. She stated that passage of S.C.R. 3 is a step in the right direction.
Cheryl Bricker, Executive Director, Partnership of Community Resources, said her organization cooperates with community members to examine areas of concern in the community, to write grants, to find resources, and to provide technical support for those projects. She said the partnership supports the yellow ribbon projects, and declared she wants to add her support for the passage of S.C.R. 3.
Joyce Newman, Lobbyist, Board Member, American Federation for Suicide Prevention, said she is also a survivor of suicide. She said the funding of the Crisis Call Center was a great step forward in suicide prevention and she wants to support S.C.R. 3. Ms. Newman pointed out the pain of suicide is something people carry with them their whole lives. She stated it is shameful that Nevada’s suicide rate is twice the national average, and Nevada needs to find out why. Ms. Newman said S.C.R. 3 is a big step in answering some of the questions about suicide.
John Amundson, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program, Partnership for Suicide Prevention, said suicide is a statewide problem. Mr. Amundson encouraged the committee to pass S.C.R. 3. He said, with a statewide plan and funding, there are a great many things that can be done to prevent suicide.
Cari Vander Dussen, Student, University of Nevada, Reno; Student Intern, Family Support Council of Douglas County; Volunteer, Crisis Call Center, said, having shared the pain of many survivors of suicide and those contemplating suicide, she urged the committee to pass S.C.R. 3. She said prevention is important, but intervention is more important. Ms. Vander Dussen commented that with more intervention the need for prevention would lessen. Ms. Vander Dussen stated the funding of the statewide hotline is a wonderful step toward intervention and prevention, and she supports S.C.R. 3.
Senator Porter asked whether Ms. Vander Dussen could share some of the facts of the crisis hotline, such as frequency of calls. Ms. Vander Dussen replied that in a 4‑hour shift the calls are frequent enough that preparedness is essential. She said the caller will often say something such as, “I have a gun in my hand,” or “Could you please give me a reason to live, because I don’t have one.” Ms. Vander Dussen stated the feeling of hopelessness and the feeling that there is no one to help are the main reasons people call. She explained, many times those feelings are caused by the stigma attached to mental illness and suicide. Ms. Vander Dussen said if people could be educated about this issue, perhaps the stigma attached to suicide could be reduced.
Ms. Vander Dussen explained when a call comes in to the center from a person who believes he or she has no reason to live, the first thing the crisis volunteer does is to ascertain whether the caller is safe or at immediate risk of committing suicide. She further explained the crisis worker also needs to assess whether the caller has tried to commit suicide before, whether the caller has a weapon or pills, whether the caller is alone in the house, whether the caller has a plan for committing suicide, and whether anyone in the caller’s family has committed suicide. She said these factors are called the “lethality scale.” Ms. Vander Dussen said after assessing the lethality scale the hotline counselor tries to empathize with the caller and assures them they are not alone and someone really cares.
Ms. Vander Dussen explained the volunteer makes sure the person is safe and then “contracts” with the person. She said to “contract” with people is to have them get someone to be with them, or if that is not possible, then to promise the crisis volunteer not to harm himself or herself until they speak with the crisis volunteer again, or to a counselor. She explained that a caller often just needs a reason not to commit suicide.
Ms. Vander Dussen said crisis volunteers also make referrals to counselors, crisis facilities, or even hospital emergency rooms. She explained reminding people of enjoyable things in their life will sometimes help, because when people are in the darkest pits of despair, they cannot see what is good in their lives. Ms. Vander Dussen commented sometimes asking something as simple as “Who will take care of your fish if you die?” will make the connection that will turn that person around.
Senator Porter asked whether there was a follow-up procedure for these calls. Ms. Vander Dussen replied, “No, there is no follow-up procedure through the Crisis Call Center.”
Senator Porter asked whether there was an estimated success rate for the Crisis Call Center. Ms. Vander Dussen replied there is no way of knowing. She said she has never had a person complete suicide while on the phone with her, but has had to trace calls twice. She commented the calls are confidential, but they can be traced if the crisis volunteer believes it is necessary.
Lynn Carrigan, Administrator, Nevada Public Health Foundation, testified suicide was the sixth leading cause of death in Nevada in 1998, but it was the second cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 35 for the same time period. She said suicide is increasing in the youth population in the nation and in Nevada. Ms. Carrigan said it is important that Nevada have a plan before the situation gets worse than it is.
Ms. Carrigan said Nevada’s suicide rate has held fairly constant over the last 10 years. It has gone from 20 people per 100,000 to 25 people per 100,000. She said in 1990 the 100 additional people a year committing suicide can be attributed to the population increase. Ms. Carrigan stated that 8 to 25 people attempt suicide for every person who successfully completes suicide. She said each of these people who attempts suicide needs treatment, and in order for that person to get treatment, he or she needs to be found and referred to counseling.
Ms. Carrigan said the reason the U.S. Surgeon General called this a public health problem is that most suicides are preventable. She pointed out, with the right programs and funding, every suicide in Nevada is preventable.
Senator Porter asked whether there were statistics that collated the incidence of shootings of police officers with suicide attempts. Ms. Carrigan replied there is no way of knowing that information since suicide is drastically underreported.
Senator Porter asked whether Ms. Carrigan would estimate unreported attempts were at least 10 percent above reported attempts. Ms. Carrigan stressed that the number is at least 10 percent and probably much higher.
Ms. Carrigan said she examined the fatal automobile accident records for September 2000 and found five or six of those accident records that could easily have been suicides. She stated there was not any way to know.
Senator Raggio commented the statistics show the western states were the top leaders in the nation for suicides, and asked whether anyone could give a reason. He reiterated the West, which is supposed to have the greatest quality of life, is leading the nation in suicide. Ms. Carrigan replied there is speculation that one reason is many of the people in the West are isolated from services. She stated there is no perfect answer. In fact, she explained, one of the reasons the suicide prevention research center was located in Las Vegas was to more easily address the question of why the suicide rate is higher in the intermountain states.
Senator James stated it is amazing the suicide rate is the highest in the lowest population states. Ms. Carrigan responded she had researched the services in Nevada and found them to be very minimal. She said there is the yellow ribbon campaign in Douglas County, which is the only rural campaign addressing suicide in the state. She pointed out that the suicide rate is higher in the rural communities, and reiterated that Douglas County’s program is the only rural program that addresses this issue.
Ms. Carrigan said Nevada has the Crisis Call Center, which is doing a wonderful job handling statewide crisis calls. The center also provides some research for schools, but the call center does not have the personnel to provide research or prevention to all of Washoe County, much less the state. She said the state needs screening services and that is not the call center’s job to provide.
Ms. Carrigan explained in Clark County there is a small agency that sporadically provides a crisis line, but it is not certified. She further explained there are two survivors’ groups in Clark County and one in Reno. She stated the Crisis Call Center, the two survivors’ groups in Clark County, a sporadic crisis line in Clark County, and a survivors’ group in Reno are the only entities providing intervention and prevention of suicide in Nevada.
Senator Titus stated there could be a correlation between states’ expenditures for suicide programs and the rate of suicides. She said Nevada’s expenditure was most likely very low. Ms. Carrigan replied that could be true.
Misty Vaughan Allen, Crisis Line Coordinator, Crisis Call Center, said many suicides are preventable. She said the state took a step toward prevention when it funded the Crisis Call Center. Ms. Allen noted the Nevada Legislature is one of the first states to use taxpayer dollars to provide a crisis hotline, which is appropriate since Nevada has been first on the list for suicide for over 10 years.
Ms. Allen said Nevada needs awareness and education to relieve the stigma attached to suicide. She commented people are afraid to talk about suicide. Ms. Allen said school authorities have told her if the school talks about suicide, then the student will commit suicide. Ms. Allen remarked the yellow ribbon program talks about suicide in schools, and the students of Nevada need this education and awareness.
Ms. Allen said she hoped S.C.R. 3 would help find the reasons the western states are so high on the list for suicide. She urged the committee to pass this bill.
Senator James, reading from The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Suicide, 1999 (Exhibit D), page 10, quoted:
However, the warning signs given are not necessarily risk factors for suicide and may include common behaviors among distressed persons, behaviors that are not specific for suicide. If such lists are applied broadly, for instance in the general classroom setting, they may be counterproductive. In effect, indiscriminate suicide awareness efforts and overly inclusive screening lists may promote suicide as a possible solution to ordinary distress or suggest that suicidal thoughts and behaviors are normal responses to stress.
Senator James then asked what programs such as the yellow ribbon program do to guard against these kinds of possible misunderstandings when teaching awareness training. Ms. Allen replied she understood how this kind of training might be misunderstood, and if a school showed a video and left it at that, there could be possible problems. She explained there has to be small group interaction and conversations. Ms. Allen said she did not believe there was one perfect prevention strategy, and that is one of the reasons suicide needs studying.
Senator James noted the Surgeon General’s pamphlet does say “indiscriminant” suicide awareness efforts could have this effect. He said that might be even more reason to study suicide further and to make sure that suicide-awareness trainers understand the possible problems of this issue. Senator James said suicide‑awareness trainers need to provide this information in a way that does not normalize, glorify, or dramatize suicide.
Senator James, speaking to the committee chairman, commented it might be important that the committee make a note to handle this issue carefully so the subject is not glorified or dramatized to the public. Senator Porter responded staff was making a note of that.
Senator Porter asked how the information about the Crisis Call Center’s hotline is being disseminated. Ms. Allen replied there have been public service announcements on radio and television, written materials have been sent out statewide, and there has been local outreach in the schools. She commented the highest occurrence of suicide is in the rural areas, and those areas need to be targeted for education.
Senator Porter asked what a 10- or 11-year-old child would do. He asked whether those children know to whom they should speak, and whether the teachers or counselors at schools know what to do if they have a suicidal 10- or 11‑year old child. Ms. Allen responded the crisis center speaks to that age group at least once a year, but beyond that, the crisis center is not invited into the elementary schools. She commented not all the middle schools or high schools invite speakers from the crisis center, and noted some of the schools have their own programs.
Ms. Allen explained callers to the hotline are often family or friends of “potential suicides.” She said the crisis center tries to give the calling family member or friend the skills to help their loved ones. Ms. Allen commented the crisis center does not necessarily go in and “save the day.” She said the crisis center wants to empower the caller to help their friend and family.
Ms. Allen noted the crisis center receives 16,000 to 17,000 calls per year, and the center must intervene with tracing procedures for 1 to 2 percent of those calls. She said the remaining calls are handled through “de-escalation talking.” She pointed out sending in the police is not always the best way, but emphasized the crisis center will call the police if it means saving someone’s life.
Stacy Holybee, Program Assistant, Crisis Call Center, said she heads the outreach efforts of the Crisis Call Center for the Reno and Carson City areas. She said outreach is the most important part of her job. Ms. Holybee commented she would welcome anyone who is interested in attending her outreach sessions.
Ms. Holybee explained, in every class she gives, she asks how many of the students know someone who has talked about suicide. She said usually 75 percent of the students raise their hands. Ms. Holybee further explained, when asked how many of the students know someone who has attempted suicide, about 25 to 50 percent of the students raise their hands. When she asks how many of the students know someone who has attempted suicide more than once or know someone who has committed suicide, she said there are a shocking number of students who raise their hands. Ms. Holybee stated these students are often the first line of defense in preventing suicide. She explained that the statistical information the legislative committees receive during the hearings is not very good, and those statistics are optimistic at best.
Ms. Holybee said the age group of 10 through 35 could be broken down to three smaller age groups. Those smaller age groups are 10 through 14, 15 through 24, and 25 through 35. She stated, for all three of those age groups, suicide is the second leading cause of death.
Ms. Holybee mentioned she has often had children come to her after an outreach session to tell her about suicide attempts they have made or things they have gone through with family members.
Ms. Holybee commented the Crisis Call Center was frequently not invited to do outreach training. She said the Crisis Call Center offers its services to all the schools and often goes out of the way to pursue an invitation from a certain school, but is frequently met with concerns from the administrators, teachers, or mental health professionals who say talking about suicide is not the right way to deal with the issue. She emphasized the statistics show not talking about suicide has “gotten nowhere.” She stated, “It is time to take a different look at the issue.”
Ms. Holybee said students express a need to talk about this issue. She told the committee she had recently encountered a task force in the Washoe County area that told her several students were “crying out” for survivor services, but there are few or none available to them.
Ms. Holybee stated, in addition to survivor services, there is a vast need for prevention services, education services, and intervention services. She said there is an obvious lack of awareness among mental health professionals and administrators about the issues that can contribute to a youth’s becoming suicidal or severely depressed. Ms. Holybee said there are subjects the crisis center outreach personnel are forbidden to discuss when giving suicide training in schools. She stated there are many “taboo” subjects and, unfortunately, suicide is one of those taboo subjects.
Ms. Holybee explained, when speaking to students, she tries to personalize the sessions and acknowledge everyone’s pain is unique. Ms. Holybee indicated she tries to make each session unique, while trying to give general resource information. She said there are a few mental health hospitals around the state, but not enough to accommodate the need.
Ms. Holybee said the hotline could use many more volunteers, and education is another resource that is lacking. She stated, when it comes to prevention, intervention, and survivor support, the state needs more and better resources than it has now. There is a significant lack of resources, she added.
Ms. Holybee said, when working with police hostage negotiators, she often finds the person held hostage is the person holding others hostage. She said these individuals have taken themselves hostage because they are suicidal. She said the release the hostage taker is seeking is death.
Assemblyman Mark A. Manendo, Clark County Assembly District No. 18, stated many people worked very hard last session to obtain funding for the hotline. He explained two senior centers in his district have brochures on suicide, and he carries copies with him. He said one of the opportunities legislators have that others may not have is to knock on doors and speak to constituents. As a result, on several occasions, he was able to place a brochure in someone’s hand when the issue of suicide became part of the discussion. He said that many people are unaware of the services that Nevada does have.
Assemblyman Manendo stated there are many things the state could do to advertise the available suicide services. With this resolution for a study during the interim, he pointed out, the Legislature could encourage the media to become involved in this issue and help inform the public. Assemblyman Manendo informed the committee that people avoid the subject of suicide, which often results in their not knowing where to turn for help. He stated there is some help out there and people need to know where it is. Assemblyman Manendo said he hopes this legislation passes so the Legislature can study the issue and pursue possible solutions during the interim.
Senator Porter closed the hearing on S.C.R. 3.
Senator Porter explained that during the last session the Legislature approved a study on air quality in southern Nevada. He further explained there was a request for a committee bill draft that would require the legislative auditor to obtain an independent audit of the Clark County Emission Reduction Credit Program. Senator Porter, referring to the document titled “Air Quality Programs in Clark County, January 2001” (Exhibit E), said the Legislature contracted with Environ International Corporation, which performed the air quality study in Clark County. He said included in the study was the Emission Reduction Credit (ERC) program, which provides for offsets and emissions credits. Senator Porter said the final report by Environ International Corporation pointed out there has been litigation against Clark County in the emissions area and there is damage to its credibility. More importantly, he said, Environ International Corporation found the program was deeply flawed and needed to be reexamined and replaced.
Senator Porter said that in August 2000 the Clark County District Attorney’s office conducted an investigation of alleged wrongdoing of employees in the Clark County Health District and its Air Quality Division. He said the district attorney’s office recommended an independent audit of the ERC Program.
Senator Porter explained the Legislative Commission’s subcommittee on the study of Air Quality Programs in Clark County had many meetings with an abundance of testimony. That testimony consistently indicated a lack of trust by the public and other agencies in southern Nevada regarding the air quality control division.
Senator Porter pointed out in October 2000, the Legislative Commission’s subcommittee on the study of Air Quality Programs in Clark County also recommended there be an audit of the Clark County Health District’s Air Quality Division. Senator Porter stated, as of March 2001, there has not been an audit performed and there are indications an audit may never be performed.
Senator Porter said the Air Quality Division of the Clark County Health District has a new director who is trying very hard to implement a new program. He commented that the Clark County Health District is working with the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, which has a BDR that will be presented to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources regarding the consolidation of agencies in southern Nevada.
Senator Porter explained Senator Titus and he were concerned with this issue because indications point to the fact this audit is not being done. He emphasized trust needs to be restored for this agency and time is of the essence. Senator Porter noted there are numerous bills regarding the Clark County Health District. He further explained the Environ International Corporation study and public testimony indicates serious deficiencies have taken place over a period of years. Senator Porter stated there are unanswered questions in regard to improprieties, and this audit needs to be done, at the expense of the Clark County Health District, as soon as possible. He said language has been provided from the backup information and suggested staff use some of the language the health district originally used.
Senator Porter said the Clark County Health District’s original purpose for the study was to identify program deficiencies, record-keeping errors, material improper practices related to creation, assessment and transfer of ERCs, and to make suggestions for program improvements. Senator Porter explained “material improper practices” is defined as any practices that would have an impact on the credit tonnage of an entity, would have financial impact on an entity, or is greater than $1,000.
Senator Titus said the state could not move forward with the reorganized regional approach to air quality if there are doubts about the appropriateness or legality of some of the past operations of the ERC program. She said an audit is essential.
SENATOR TITUS MOVED THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AND OPERATIONS REQUEST A BILL DRAFT TO CONTRACT A PRIVATE AUDITING OR CONSULTING FIRM TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT EVALUATION OF THE CLARK COUNTY EMISSION REDUCTION CREDIT PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD REPORT TO THE AUDIT SUBCOMMITTEE, THE CLARK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AND OPERATIONS ON OR BEFORE MAY 31, 2001, AND THAT THE CLARK COUNTY HEALTH DISTRICT WOULD BEAR THE COST. [BDR S-1497, LATER INTRODUCED AS SENATE BILL 475.]
SENATOR RAWSON SECONDED THE MOTION.
Senator Raggio commented a number of proposals were submitted to the Clark County Health District to do an audit. He said the cost of these proposals range from $200,000 to $600,000. Senator Raggio asked whether these proposals were for requested audits, which the health district had now chosen not to have performed. Senator Porter responded that an audit was initially requested, not only for past practices, but also for future practices. He explained, at the last board meeting of the Clark County Health District, the board voted to not continue the ERC program. He said the Senate Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operations does not have the estimated cost of the audit it is proposing, but hopes to have the estimated cost before the bill draft is completed.
Senator Raggio said the proposals include costs, and asked whether the BDR would specify a different type of audit. Senator Porter replied, “Yes, this would be a different kind of audit, except for one section of the original Clark County proposal.”
Senator Raggio asked whether this request is for the legislative auditors to oversee the hiring of an auditor, stipulating the state of Nevada would not bear the cost. Senator Porter replied, “Yes.” He said this BDR is for the legislative auditors to hire an auditing firm and for that firm to report its findings to the legislative auditor, the Senate Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operations, and the Clark County District Attorney’s office.
Senator Titus said part of the problem was the selection of the group to do the audit. She explained the company selected to do the audit has close connections to the group to be audited.
Senator Titus said if the legislative auditor oversees the selection of the auditor, and the selection is done on only the past ERC program, it is her understanding the audit should cost around $50,000. She said she did not believe the audit would cost $200,000 to $500,000. Senator Titus stated Clark County’s claim that the audit would be too expensive is not accurate and she believes it was a “smoke screen.”
Senator Raggio commented the drafter of the bill should determine whether this would be considered an unfunded mandate, and, if so, the appropriate language needs to be included to designate it as such to prevent the state from having to fund this audit. Scott Wasserman, Chief Deputy Legislative Counsel, Legal Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau, in reply to Senator Raggio, said the cost of the audit would be over $5,000 and the bill-drafting unit would include the directive that the local government pay for the audit. He said the BDR would be designated as an unfunded mandate. The BDR would include the appropriate provisions, he added.
Senator Porter said he wished this audit did not have to be performed, and it is hoped the Clark County Health District’s Air Quality Division and the local government would move forward with their plans to complete the audit. He stated it is unfortunate the Legislature had to become involved. Senator Porter said this is an example of a breakdown in trust in southern Nevada and this issue needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
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BILL DRAFT REQUEST R-1148: Urges United State Department of State to approve establishment of Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas. (Later introduced as Senate Joint Resolution 7.)
Senator Porter explained approximately 17 percent of Nevada’s population has a Hispanic background. He said since Nevada has about 200,000 tourists from Mexico each year and one of the fastest growing Hispanic populations, it would be appropriate for the Nevada Legislature to send a message to Washington, D.C., that Nevada is in support of establishing a Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas. Senator Porter said the government of Mexico is very close to approving funding for the establishment of a Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas, although, according to the most recent contact with the Mexican government, it has not yet approved the site for the consulate. He explained that establishing a Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas also requires the approval of the U.S. Department of State. Therefore, he said this BDR sends a message to the U.S. Department of State that Nevada would welcome the establishment of a Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas.
SENATOR JAMES MOVED TO INTRODUCE BDR R-1148.
SENATOR TITUS SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
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Senator Porter adjourned the meeting at 4:00 p.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
Johnnie L. Willis,
Committee Secretary
APPROVED BY:
Senator Jon C. Porter, Chairman
DATE: