(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, a suicide-safer homes task force is established to raise public awareness and increase suicide prevention education among new partners who are in key positions to help reduce suicide. The task force shall be administered and staffed by the department of veterans affairs. To the extent possible, the task force membership should include representatives from geographically diverse and priority populations, including tribal populations.

Washington Code 43.70.010

(2) The suicide-safer homes task force shall be cochaired by the director, or the director’s designee, of the department of veterans affairs and the director, or the director’s designee, of the forefront suicide prevention center and also consist of the following members:

(a) Two representatives of suicide prevention organizations, selected by the cochairs of the task force;

(b) Two representatives of the firearms industry, selected by the cochairs of the task force;

(c) Two individuals who are suicide attempt survivors or who have experienced suicide loss, selected by the cochairs of the task force;

(d) Two representatives of law enforcement agencies, selected by the cochairs of the task force;

(e) One representative from the department of health;

(f) One representative from the department of fish and wildlife;

(g) One individual representing veterans;

(h) One member of a Washington or federally recognized Indian tribe;

(i) Two veterans;

(j) One representative of the national rifle association;

(k) One representative of the Second Amendment foundation;

(l) One representative of a nonprofit organization working on gun safety issues;

(m) One representative of a national firearms trade association;

(n) One representative of a Washington state pharmacy association; and

(o) No more than five other interested parties, selected by the cochairs of the task force.

(3) The department of veterans affairs shall convene the initial meeting of the task force.

(4) The task force shall:

(a) Develop and prepare to disseminate online trainings on suicide awareness and prevention for firearms dealers and their employees and firearm range owners and their employees;

(b) Partner with medical providers, firearms dealers, firearms ranges, and pharmacies to develop and distribute suicide awareness and prevention messages for posters and brochures;

(c) In consultation with the department of fish and wildlife, develop strategies for creating and disseminating suicide awareness and prevention information for hunting safety classes, including messages to parents that can be shared during online registration, in either follow-up email communications, or in writing, or both;

(d) Create a website that will be a clearinghouse for the newly created suicide awareness and prevention materials developed by the task force;

(e) Continue to support medical providers with suicide prevention and awareness work through the dissemination of collateral education programs;

(f) Allocate funding towards the purchase of lock boxes for dissemination via the forefront suicide prevention center’s TeleSAFER program;

(g) Develop and direct advocacy efforts with firearms dealers to pair suicide awareness and prevention training with distribution of safe storage devices;

(h) Partner with a statewide pharmacy association to market and promote medication disposal kits and safe storage devices;

(i) Train health care providers on suicide awareness and prevention, paired with distribution of medication disposal kits and safe storage devices; and

(j) Train local law enforcement officers on suicide awareness and prevention, paired with distribution of medication disposal kits and safe storage devices.

(5) The forefront suicide prevention center shall provide subject matter expertise, technical and programmatic support, and consultation and evaluation to the task force.

(6) Beginning December 1, 2022, the task force shall annually report to the legislature on the status of its work.

(7) This section expires July 1, 2024.

Findings—Intent—2022 c 191: See note following RCW 43.60A.260.