SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 4

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR WRIGHT

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 4: TARGET POPULATION: AT-RISK SENIORS.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, EACH MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY IN CALIFORNIA MUST SUBMIT A PLAN TO DEAL WITH SUICIDES AMONG TARGET POPULATIONS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, YOUTH, TRANSITIONAL YOUTH, AND ADULTS, BUT NOT THE OLDER ADULT POPULATION.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS BE INCLUDED IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH’S TARGET SUICIDE POPULATION LIST AND WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THAT EVERY MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY SUBMIT PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION PLANS FOR AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

SP 4: RELATING TO AT-RISK SENIORS

WHEREAS, THE SUICIDE RATE IN CALIFORNIA IS ONE IN EVERY 7,142 FOR OLDER MALES AND ONE IN EVERY 22,222 FOR OLDER FEMALES. WHILE THESE RATES ARE NOT AS HIGH AS IN OTHER AGE CATEGORIES, THE EFFECT OF SUICIDE ON FRIENDS AND FAMILY IS EQUALLY DEVASTATING; AND

WHEREAS, THE ABSENCE OF A PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS MAY INDICATE DISCRIMINATION; AND

WHEREAS, A STIGMA EXISTS AMONG OLDER ADULTS, ESPECIALLY AMONG AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS, RELATING TO HAVING TO ASK FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, CREATING A BARRIER TO THEIR REQUESTING HELP; AND

WHEREAS, MANY SENIORS SUFFERING FROM A PHYSICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS LIVE IN RURAL AREAS WHERE NEARBY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES MAY BE LACKING OR UNAVAILABLE; AND

WHEREAS, AS A PERSON AGES, LEVELS OF SEROTONIN, A NEUROTRANSMITTER WHICH LIMITS SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR, DECREASE IN THAT PERSON’S BRAIN, THEREBY INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR SUICIDE AMONG OLDER ADULTS SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION AND OTHER MENTAL ILLNESSES; AND

WHEREAS, MANY PROGRAMS EXIST FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO REACH OUT TO AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS, AND THESE PROGRAMS CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY’S PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION THREE-YEAR PLAN; AND

WHEREAS, MANY AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE SEEN IN HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS DUE TO OVER-MEDICATION ARE NOT ROUTINELY EVALUATED FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS; AND

WHEREAS, AS PEOPLE AGE, THEY BECOME MORE FRAIL, SUFFER FROM CHRONIC ILLNESSES, AND BECOME LESS ABLE TO COPE WITH LIFE’S STRESSES, AND THEY MAY CONSIDER SUICIDE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUFFERING; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2008 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH ADD AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS
TO ITS TARGET SUICIDE POPULATION LIST, AND ALSO REQUIRE THAT EVERY MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY SUBMIT PREVENTION, AND EARLY INTERVENTION PLANS FOR AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE ADDITIONS REQUESTED IN THIS PROPOSAL WILL INCREASE THE PROMINENCE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION EFFORTS AMONG OLDER ADULTS WITHIN THE GENERAL POPULATION; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 08 22027

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