Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2021
This bill reauthorizes through FY2028, and otherwise revises, grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support youth suicide early-intervention and prevention strategies. Specifically, the bill requires SAMHSA to award a portion of such grants for statewide training programs on emotional well-being, mental health, and suicide awareness and prevention for elementary and secondary school students and staff.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5750 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5750
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize certain grants (for
youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies) to be used
for school personnel in elementary and secondary schools and students
in secondary schools to receive student suicide awareness and
prevention training, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 27, 2021
Mr. Cleaver (for himself, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. McBath, Mr. Fitzpatrick,
Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Correa, Mr. Crow, Mr.
Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Adams, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Gonzalez of
Ohio, Ms. Jackson Lee, and Ms. Bass) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize certain grants (for
youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies) to be used
for school personnel in elementary and secondary schools and students
in secondary schools to receive student suicide awareness and
prevention training, and for other purposes.
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 ``Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas
Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) In the last 12 years, suicide has been on the increase,
moving up to the second leading cause of death for young people
between the ages of 10 and 34 with about 157,000 youth treated
at emergency departments for self-inflicted injuries. Between
2007 and 2018, the national suicide rate among persons ages 1
to 24 increased 57.4 percent.
(2) According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behaviors Survey of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18.8 percent of
high school students reported seriously considering suicide,
and 8.9 percent reporting attempting to take their lives during
that period.
(3) Eighty percent of students show warning signs before
attempting suicide.
(4) Prevention and awareness training will equip
individuals to become aware of the warning signs of suicide,
identify students in crisis, and provide resources for help.
(5) Research shows that inquiring about suicide ideation,
or discussing suicide in terms of recognizing risk factors and
prevention methods--
(A) does not increase the chance of suicide; and
(B) in fact, can lower the risk of suicide.
(6) Sexual minority youth (LGBTQ) are almost five times
more likely to have attempted suicide compared to their
heterosexual peers. In addition, 40 percent of LGBTQ youth
seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months,
with more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth having
seriously considered suicide.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) student suicide awareness, prevention training, and
response materials should be available to all school personnel,
including administrative personnel, teachers, counselors, and
other school leaders;
(2) States should give autonomy to each local educational
agency to--
(A) adopt a policy with respect to student suicide
awareness and prevention; and
(B) work collaboratively with local organizations,
youth mental health experts, health care providers, and
the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement
training for school personnel and students, including
by sharing and disseminating--
(i) training materials and resources; and
(ii) information that is evidence-informed
or promising on student suicide prevention;
(3) the Secretary of Health and Human Services should
identify the highest unmet needs, specifically with at-risk
student populations, such as--
(A) minority students;
(B) LBGTQ+ identifying students;
(C) students living with mental health conditions;
(D) students living with substance use disorders;
(E) students who have engaged in self-harm or have
attempted suicide; and
(F) students experiencing homelessness or out-of-
home settings;
(4) schools should offer these services to students in
grades 9 through 12, with the support of organizations with
demonstrated expertise in cultural competency, suicide
awareness, response, and prevention training;
(5) students who receive such training should not be taught
to be counselors, but rather should be educated on how to--
(A) recognize signs of suicide and depression;
(B) report these signs to appropriate staff; and
(C) identify sources of care and support; and
(6) schools should utilize school-based mental health
professionals and other community partnerships.
SEC. 4. STUDENT SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION TRAINING.
(a) Additional Authorized Use of Grant Funds.--Section 520E(a) of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) establish and implement a statewide policy requiring
school personnel in elementary and secondary schools and
students in secondary schools to complete student emotional
well-being, mental health, and suicide awareness and prevention
training in accordance with subsection (d).''.
(b) Training Requirements.--Section 520E of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36(a)), as amended by subsection (a), is
further amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (m) as
subsections (e) through (n), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
``(d) Requirements for Student Suicide Awareness and Training
Programs.--
``(1) In general.--As a condition on receipt of funds under
subsection (a)(6), an applicant shall agree to use the funds to
establish or implement a statewide policy--
``(A) requiring school personnel in elementary and
secondary schools and students in secondary schools to
complete student emotional well-being, mental health,
and suicide awareness and prevention training that--
``(i) includes at least one classroom
session each school year;
``(ii) is evidence-informed; and
``(iii) includes training on--
``(I) the warning signs of, and
elevated risk factors for, poor
emotional well-being, mental health
issues, and suicide of oneself and of
others;
``(II) suggested responses to such
warning signs;
``(III) further suicide awareness
and prevention resources; and
``(IV) the method and manner of
making an appropriate referral to a
school-based mental health services
provider; and
``(B) requiring, with respect to such school
personnel, that such training include training on--
``(i) cultural competency and
intersectionality sensitivity; and
``(ii) an overview of applicable Federal,
State, and local law concerning reporting
requirements.
``(2) Definitions.--As used in subsection (a)(6) and this
subsection:
``(A) The term `evidence-informed' means informed
by practices that--
``(i) use the best available research and
practice knowledge to guide program design and
implementation;
``(ii) allow for innovation while
incorporating the lessons learned from the
existing research literature; and
``(iii) are responsive to families'
cultural backgrounds, community values, and
individual preferences.
``(B) The term `school-based mental health services
provider' includes a State-licensed or State-certified
school counselor, school psychologist, school social
worker, or other State-licensed or certified mental
health professional qualified under State law to
provide mental health services to children and
adolescents.
``(C) The term `school personnel' means--
``(i) principals or other heads of a
school; other professional instructional staff
(such as staff involved in curriculum
development, staff development, or operating
library, media, and computer centers);
specialized instructional support personnel
such as school counselors, school social
workers, and school psychologists; and other
qualified professional personnel, such as
school nurses, speech language pathologists,
and school librarians, involved in providing
assessment, diagnosis, counseling, and
educational, therapeutic, and other necessary
services; and
``(ii) other school employees and
contractors who interact with students,
including bus drivers, cafeteria workers,
coaches, janitorial staff, and after-school
program employees.''.
(c) Funding.--Subsection (n) of section 520E of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36), as redesignated by subsection (b)(2),
is amended--
(1) by striking ``For the purpose'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) In general.--For the purpose'';
(2) by striking ``2022'' and inserting ``2028''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Allocation.--Of the amounts made available to carry
out this section for a fiscal year, not less than 15 percent of
such amounts shall be used for grants or cooperative agreements
to carry out subsection (a)(6) (to establish and implement a
statewide policy requiring school personnel in elementary and
secondary schools and students in secondary schools to complete
student emotional well-being, mental health, and suicide
awareness and prevention training).''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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