HR 8070
Child Suicide Prevention Act
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Bill overview
The Child Suicide Prevention Act aims to reduce youth suicide rates by authorizing the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants to various entities. These grants will support the implementation of evidence-aligned practices in healthcare settings, including training healthcare providers on identifying at-risk individuals, promoting safe firearm storage, and addressing racial disparities in suicide rates. The bill also seeks to integrate suicide prevention curricula into schools and establish an informational website for relevant stakeholders.
Key provisions
- Grants to states, health departments, hospitals, nonprofits, and educational institutions to implement evidence-aligned suicide prevention practices.
- Funding for secure gun storage or safety devices for residences with covered individuals (up to 15% of grant funds).
- Curriculum development and integration into schools to address lethal means safety, communication strategies, and suicide prevention techniques.
- Technical assistance provided to grant recipients and healthcare providers.
- Annual reporting requirements for grant recipients and the Secretary.
- Establishment of an informational website on suicide prevention and firearm safety.
- Definition of ‘covered individual’ as anyone under 26 years old.
- Authorization of appropriations for the grant programs ($30,000,000 over five years).
Who is affected
- Youth (individuals under 26)
- Healthcare providers
- State and local health departments
- Schools
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 8070
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Child Suicide Prevention Act
.
a State;
a State or local health department;
a professional membership organization that specializes in health care;
a hospital that serves covered individuals;
a nonprofit organization; or
an institution of higher education.
identification of covered individuals who may be at a high risk of suicide or self-harm using validated, developmentally and age-appropriate, and evidence-aligned screening and risk assessment techniques;
covered risk factors and the relationship of such factors to suicide and self-harm;
support strategies for covered individuals after the occurrence of a suicide or suicide attempt;
communication strategies to discuss such laws with covered individuals and the family members or guardians of such individuals; and
procedures for referring covered individuals who may be at a high risk of suicide or self-harm to other health care providers, social services, or crisis resources.
If an applicant for a grant under this section seeks to use the grant as described in paragraph (1), the applicant shall include in its application under subsection (b)—
a strategy to make secure gun storage or safety devices available at reduced or no cost to residences with at least one covered individual; and
information about the types of devices that will be so made available based on a demonstration of available information about the secure gun storage or safety device needs of the community or communities in which such residences are located.
A recipient of a grant under this section that chooses to use a portion of the grant as described in paragraph (1) shall provide appropriate counseling on the use of secure gun storage or safety devices to one or more individuals at each residence that receives such a device through funds made available through such grant.
Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall submit, on an annual basis through fiscal year 2029, a report to the Secretary on the activities carried out through the grant.
The Secretary shall make each report submitted under subparagraph (A) publicly available on the website of the Department of Health and Human Services.
a summary of the reports submitted to the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1); and
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2027 through 2030.
An eligible school seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require.
a local health department;
such professional associations as the Secretary determines are appropriate;
a nonprofit organization; and
an institution of higher education.
safe storage of a firearm and ammunition; and
State and Federal laws that apply to the use and possession of a firearm.
covered individuals; and
individuals at a high risk of suicide.
to eligible schools, technical assistance in applying for a grant under this section; and
Each eligible school that receives a grant under this section shall submit, on an annual basis through fiscal year 2029, a report to the Secretary on the activities carried out through the grant.
The Secretary shall make each report submitted under subparagraph (A) publicly available on the website of the Department of Health and Human Services.
a summary of the reports submitted to the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1); and
an accredited medical school;
physician assistant education program;
graduate or undergraduate program in mental or behavioral health; or
residency or fellowship program in health care; and
any other accredited school that specializes in health education, as determined by the Secretary, including for continuing education programs.
the individuals and entities referred to in such subsection;
nonprofit organizations;
such professional associations as the Secretary determines are appropriate;
local health departments;
hospitals that serve covered individuals;
institutions of higher education;
Federal firearms license dealers and instructors; and
other individuals or entities, as determined by the Secretary.
In this Act:
The term covered individual means an individual who has not attained 26 years of age.
The term covered risk factors means factors that increase the risk of suicide or self-harm with respect to a covered individual, including the following:
Alcohol abuse or other substance use disorder.
Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.
Being from a racial or ethnic group with a high rate of suicide or self-harm.
Previous attempts of suicide or self-harm.
The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
The term secure storage or safety device has the meaning given to such term in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 921(a)(34) of title 18, United States Code.
each of the 50 States;
the District of Columbia and any territory or possession of the United States;
Indian tribes and tribal organizations (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)); and
Urban Indian organizations (as such term is defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)).