[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4439 Introduced in House (IH)]
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4439
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program for the
prevention of suicide among Latina adolescents.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 11, 2000
Mrs. Napolitano (for herself, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Serrano, Mr.
Rodriguez, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Gonzalez, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Pastor,
Mr. Hill of Indiana, Mr. Larson, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Blagojevich, Ms.
Berkley, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Moore, Mrs. Jones of
Ohio, Mr. Baird, Mr. Baca, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Reyes, Mr.
Abercrombie, Mr. Martinez, Ms. Carson, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Menendez, Mr.
Becerra, Mr. Underwood, Mr. Romero-Barcelo, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Waters,
Mr. Horn, Mr. Calvert, Mrs. Bono, Mr. Bilbray, Mr. Filner, Mr. Berman,
and Mr. Dreier) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program for the
prevention of suicide among Latina adolescents.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Latina Adolescent Suicide Prevention
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that:
(1) Latina girls now represent the largest minority group
of girls in the country and are expected to remain so for the
next fifty years as the size of the Hispanic (Latino)
population in this country continues to increase.
(2) Recent data contained in ``The State of Hispanic
Girls'' indicate that one in three Latina adolescents has
seriously considered suicide--the highest rate of any racial or
ethnic group in the country. This rate is one and a half times
the rate of their African-American or non-Hispanic white
counterparts.
(3) Even though national suicide rates among high school
girls have decreased in recent years, Latina adolescents remain
most likely to seriously consider, make a concrete plan and
attempt suicide.
(4) Fewer treatment and prevention services reach them than
any other racial or ethnic group in the nation.
(5) This lack of adequate resources and support services
for Latina adolescents and their families through community and
school-based programs only exacerbates the severity of this
crisis.
(6) Cultural differences and acculturation issues and
conflicts must be considered and addressed as major factors
influencing the suicide rates among Latina adolescents.
(7) This suicide crisis is further compounded by the lack
of bi-lingual staff trained to deliver culturally competent
services and the scarcity of specific programs that focus on
bolstering self-esteem and self-confidence within this
population group.
(8) Innovative and enhanced suicide prevention outreach
services by community-based organizations (CBOs) and mental
health clinics are the most effective way to deal with this
crisis and can be further strengthened when CBOs initiate and
operate school-based programs in cooperation with local school
systems and provide school personnel with the basic training to
identify depression and other behaviors which, left undiagnosed
and untreated, may lead to suicide.
(9) Increased Federal financial support directly to local
programs and services providing early intervention services to
ameliorate identified mental health problems in Latina
adolescents should be considered a major funding priority.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM FOR PREVENTION OF LATINA ADOLESCENT
SUICIDES.
Title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq.)
is amended by inserting after section 520B the following section:
``SEC. 520C. PREVENTION OF LATINA ADOLESCENT SUICIDES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make awards of grants,
cooperative agreements, or contracts to public and nonprofit private
entities for the purpose of reducing suicide attempts and deaths among
Latina adolescents.
``(b) Collaboration.-- The Secretary shall ensure that the program
under this section is developed in collaboration with the relevant
institutes at the National Institutes of Health, the Health Resources
and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, and the Administration on Children and Families.
``(c) Preference.--In making awards under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall give preference to applicants that--
``(1) demonstrate a strong linkage with schools and are
actually supported by and operated within a school facility or
associated setting; and
``(2) involve direct services to Latina adolescents.
``(d) Requirements.--A condition for the receipt of an award under
subsection (a) is that the applicant involved demonstrate that the
project to be carried out with the award will--
``(1) provide for the timely assessment and treatment of
Latina adolescents at risk for suicide;
``(2) use evidenced based strategies;
``(3) be based on exemplary practices that are adapted to
the unique characteristics and needs of the local community;
``(4) be integrated into the existing health care system in
the community including primary health care, mental health
services, and substance abuse services as appropriate;
``(5) be integrated into other systems in the community to
address the needs of Latina adolescents including the
educational system, juvenile justice, and recreation;
``(6) provide support services to the families and friends
of those who plan, attempt, or actually commit suicide;
``(7) provide culturally, linguistically and
developmentally appropriate services;
``(8) agree to outcomes evaluation to determine the success
of the program and the possibility of replication to other
adolescent girls at risk of suicide;
``(9) provide or ensure referral for mental health and
substance abuse services as needed; and
``(10) ensure that staff used in the program are trained in
suicide prevention, are capable of providing culturally and
linguistically appropriate services and that professionals
involved in the system of care are given training in
identifying persons at risk of suicide.
``(e) Coordination.--A condition for the receipt of an award under
subsection (a) is that the applicant involved demonstrate that--
``(1) the application has the support of the local
communities and the approval of the political subdivision to be
served by the project; and
``(2) the applicant has discussed the application with
State mental health officials.
``(f) Matching Requirement.--With respect to the costs to be
incurred by an applicant in carrying out a project under subsection
(a), the Secretary may require as a condition of the receipt of the
award that the applicant make available (directly or through donations
from public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward such
costs in an amount that is not less than 25 percent of such costs ($1
for each $3 of Federal funds provided in the award).
``(g) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall ensure that entities
receiving awards under subsection (a) submit an evaluation of the
project that includes an evaluation of--
``(1) the efficacy of project strategies; and
``(2) short, intermediate, and long-term outcomes,
including the overall impact of the project on the self-esteem
of Latina adolescents and their emotional development and
ability to deal in a positive and confident manner with their
families, social environment, and peers.
``(h) Dissemination and Education.--The Secretary shall ensure that
the findings from the program under this section are disseminated to
State and local governmental agencies and private providers of mental
health and substance abuse services.
``(i) Duration of Projects.--With respect to an award under
subsection (a), the period during which payments under such award are
made may not exceed 5 years.
``(j) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term
`adolescent' means an individual between the ages of 11 and 17
(inclusive).
``(k) Funding.--
``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of
carrying out this section, there are authorized to be
appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, and such sums as
may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2002 and 2003.
``(2) Allocation for program management.--Of the amount
appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the
Secretary may reserve not more than 1 percent for administering
the program under this section.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
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