5. The Commissioner of Human Services shall develop and publicize, in consultation with the council, a public awareness campaign on youth suicide prevention and intervention, the goals of which shall be to:

a. increase voluntary reporting of youth suicides and attempts at suicide by professionals who are likely to know of suicides and attempts in the course of their employment;

b. increase referrals by these professionals to therapeutic services available to youths who contemplate or attempt suicide;

c. increase public awareness of the incidence and causes of youth suicide attempts and decrease the stigma currently associated with depression and suicide; and

d. encourage the use by families of short-term and long-term public and private mental health services, as well as other services, to reduce the incidence of attempted and completed suicides by youths.

L.2003,c.214,s.5.