1. Within amounts appropriated, the office of mental health is hereby authorized and directed to establish and conduct, in consultation with and upon the approval of the council on children and families, a special program, the purpose of which shall be to provide grants to public or private not-for-profit organizations, or public or private schools, acting alone or in concert with others, in order to educate the general population, and in particular parents, teachers, clergy, health and mental health professionals and adolescents themselves of the positive actions that can be taken to identify and treat adolescents who are at high risk for suicide. For purposes of this section, the term "adolescent" shall mean any person under the age of twenty-one.

2. The commissioner shall in consultation with and upon the approval of the council on children and families promulgate standards to determine the eligibility of applicants for the grants herein authorized and be entitled to receive on appropriate forms such information as he deems necessary and relevant in making such determination. Such application to the extent possible shall include:

a. the projected impact and effectiveness of the program in meeting the community's need for adolescent suicide prevention programs;

b. coordination with other community and/or school services;

c. other sources of revenue available;

d. the start up and continuing operating costs of such program;

e. the number and age of youth expected to be reached by such program;

f. the range and type of services to be offered and the number and types of personnel to be employed;

g. a description of an outreach component of the program;

h. methods to be used to increase the sensitivity of professionals and the public toward identifying youth at risk of suicide; and

i. such other information as deemed pertinent by the commissioner.

3. The commissioner in consultation with the council on children and families shall specify methods to evaluate the effectiveness of proposed projects. The commissioner in consultation with and upon the approval of the council on children and families shall review and where necessary, require modifications and upon such modifications, approve or disapprove applications within thirty days of the receipt of the initial or modified application, whichever is appropriate. All applications approved by the commissioner in consultation with the council on children and families shall include a commitment to use appropriate accounting and fiscal control procedures which shall include the filing of an annual financial statement by each provider so as to ensure:

a. the proper disbursement and accounting for funds received;

b. appropriate written records regarding the population served and type and extent of services rendered by the provider;

c. confidentiality standards so as to ensure the confidentiality of records of persons receiving services; and

d. other funds, public or private, whenever resources are available.

4. Upon approval of each grant the commissioner shall contract with each grantee for a period of time not to exceed one year, but can extend such contract for one year periods when the commissioner after consulting the council on children and families determines it is appropriate.

5. Each grantee receiving payments hereunder shall submit to the commissioner within thirty days prior to the expiration of the contract a report following guidelines prepared by the commissioner which shall include:

a. the information specified in subdivision two of this section;

b. an assessment of the impact of the program on adolescents who are at high risk for suicide attempts;

c. the extent to which the program coordinated services with other community programs; and

d. any other information deemed relevant by the commissioner.

6. The commissioner shall prepare a summary of the reports required by subdivision five of this section, and forward this summary to the council on children and families for inclusion in its annual report and shall include such information in the annual report of the office of mental health.

7. The commissioner in consultation with the council on children and families shall promulgate such rules and regulations necessary and proper to implement the provision of this section.

* NB There are 2 § 41.49's