II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2982 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 7, 2021 

Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Mr. BROWN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. KAINE, Ms. 

KLOBUCHAR, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, and Mr. BOOKER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Child Suicide Preven5 tion and Lethal Means Safety Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUICIDE 

2 AND LETHAL MEANS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 1 year 

4 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

5 award grants to eligible entities to establish or expand pro6 grams to implement evidence-aligned practices in health 

7 care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates 

8 of covered individuals. 

9 (b) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity seeking a grant 

10 under this section shall submit an application to the Sec11 retary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 

12 such information as the Secretary may require. 

13 (c) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—In this section, the term ‘‘el14 igible entity’’ includes— 

15 (1) a State; 

16 (2) a State or local health department; 

17 (3) a professional membership organization that 

18 specializes in health care; 

19 (4) a hospital that serves covered individuals; 

20 (5) a nonprofit organization; or 

21 (6) an institution of higher education. 

22 (d) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 

23 a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to 

24 establish or expand programs to educate or train health 

25 care providers as described in subsection (a), including 

26 education and training on— 


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1 (1) identification of covered individuals who 

2 may be at a high risk of suicide or self-harm using 

3 validated, developmentally and age-appropriate, and 

4 evidence-aligned screening and risk assessment tech5 niques; 

6 (2) communication with covered individuals and 

7 the family members or guardians of such individuals 

8 on lethal means safety and injury prevention, includ9 ing the safe storage of firearms; 

10 (3) covered risk factors and the relationship of 

11 such factors to suicide and self-harm; 

12 (4) suicide prevention and intervention; 

13 (5) support strategies for covered individuals 

14 after the occurrence of a suicide or suicide attempt; 

15 (6) racial and ethnic disparities with respect to 

16 covered individuals who attempt suicide or self-harm, 

17 disaggregated by the age and gender of covered indi18 viduals; 

19 (7) methods and means used by covered individ20 uals to attempt suicide and, with respect to such 

21 methods and means, best practices to ensure the 

22 safety of a covered individual, including safety plans 

23 and plans that address such methods and means; 

24 (8) State and Federal laws with respect to the 

25 use and possession of firearms; 


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1 (9) communication strategies to discuss such 

2 laws with covered individuals and the family mem3 bers or guardians of such individuals; and 

4 (10) procedures for referring covered individ5 uals who may be at a high risk of suicide or self6 harm to other health care providers, social services, 

7 or crisis resources. 

8 (e) SECURE GUN STORAGE OR SAFETY DEVICES.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—An entity receiving a grant 

10 under this section may use not more than 15 per11 cent of the funds received through the grant to make 

12 secure gun storage or safety devices available at re13 duced or no cost to residences with at least one cov14 ered individual. 

15 (2) APPLICATION.—If an applicant for a grant 

16 under this section seeks to use the grant as de17 scribed in paragraph (1), the applicant shall include 

18 in its application under subsection (b)— 

19 (A) a strategy to make secure gun storage 

20 or safety devices available at reduced or no cost 

21 to residences with at least one covered indi22 vidual; and 

23 (B) information about the types of devices 

24 that will be so made available based on a dem25 onstration of available information about the seVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:20 Oct 09, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2982.IS S2982

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1 cure gun storage or safety device needs of the 

2 community or communities in which such resi3 dences are located. 

4 (3) COUNSELING.—A recipient of a grant under 

5 this section that chooses to use a portion of the 

6 grant as described in paragraph (1) shall provide ap7 propriate counseling on the use of secure gun stor8 age or safety devices to one or more individuals at 

9 each residence that receives such a device through 

10 funds made available through such grant. 

11 (f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 

12 provide technical assistance to recipients of grants under 

13 this section and health care providers on best practices 

14 in implementing programs to educate or train health care 

15 providers on evidence-aligned practices for the purpose of 

16 reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals. 

17 (g) REPORT.— 

18 (1) BY GRANTEES.— 

19 (A) SUBMISSION.—Each eligible entity 

20 that receives a grant under this section shall 

21 submit, on an annual basis through fiscal year 

22 2025, a report to the Secretary on the activities 

23 carried out through the grant. 

24 (B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary 

25 shall make each report submitted under subVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:20 Oct 09, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2982.IS S2982

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1 paragraph (A) publicly available on the website 

2 of the Department of Health and Human Serv3 ices. 

4 (2) BY SECRETARY.—Not later than the end of 

5 fiscal year 2025, the Secretary shall submit a report 

6 to Congress that includes— 

7 (A) a summary of the reports submitted to 

8 the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1); and 

9 (B) recommendations with respect to the 

10 implementation of evidence-aligned practices in 

11 health care settings to reduce the suicide rates 

12 of covered individuals. 

13 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

14 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

15 $20,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 

16 2025. 

17 SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO DEVELOP AND INTEGRATE 

18 SUICIDE PREVENTION AND LETHAL MEANS 

19 SAFETY CURRICULA. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 1 year 

21 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

22 award grants to eligible schools to develop and integrate 

23 in the curricula and continuing education programs of 

24 such schools the content described in subsection (d). 


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1 (b) APPLICATION.—An eligible school seeking a grant 

2 under this section shall submit an application to the Sec3 retary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 

4 such information as the Secretary may require. 

5 (c) PARTNERSHIP.—In carrying out activities 

6 through a grant under this section, an eligible school may 

7 develop a partnership with— 

8 (1) a local health department; 

9 (2) such professional associations as the Sec10 retary determines are appropriate; 

11 (3) a nonprofit organization; and 

12 (4) an institution of higher education. 

13 (d) CURRICULA CONTENT.—The content to be devel14 oped and integrated pursuant to subsection (a) shall ad15 dress each of the following: 

16 (1) Lethal means safety and injury prevention, 

17 including— 

18 (A) safe storage of a firearm and ammuni19 tion; and 

20 (B) State and Federal laws that apply to 

21 the use and possession of a firearm. 

22 (2) Best practices that are evidence-aligned and 

23 culturally appropriate with respect to communicating 

24 with patients and the families of patients about le25 thal means safety and injury prevention. 


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1 (3) Evidence-aligned strategies with respect to 

2 suicide prevention, intervention, and support to indi3 viduals after the occurrence of a suicide or suicide 

4 attempt, with an emphasis on— 

5 (A) covered individuals; and 

6 (B) individuals at a high risk of suicide. 

7 (4) Validated, developmentally and age-appro8 priate, and evidence-aligned screening and risk as9 sessment techniques with respect to suicide and the 

10 use of a firearm. 

11 (5) Strategies to identify covered risk factors. 

12 (6) Methods or means used by a covered indi13 vidual to attempt suicide and, with respect to such 

14 methods or means, best practices to ensure the safe15 ty of a covered individual, including safety plans and 

16 plans that address such methods and means. 

17 (e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 

18 provide— 

19 (1) to eligible schools, technical assistance in 

20 applying for a grant under this section; and 

21 (2) to eligible schools receiving grants under 

22 this section, technical assistance in carrying out the 

23 activities funded through the grants. 

24 (f) REPORT.— 

25 (1) BY GRANTEES.— 


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1 (A) SUBMISSION.—Each eligible school 

2 that receives a grant under this section shall 

3 submit, on an annual basis through fiscal year 

4 2025, a report to the Secretary on the activities 

5 carried out through the grant. 

6 (B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary 

7 shall make each report submitted under sub8 paragraph (A) publicly available on the website 

9 of the Department of Health and Human Serv10 ices. 

11 (2) BY SECRETARY.—Not later than the end of 

12 fiscal year 2025, the Secretary shall submit a report 

13 to Congress that includes— 

14 (A) a summary of the reports submitted to 

15 the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1); and 

16 (B) recommendations for curricula on sui17 cide prevention. 

18 (g) ELIGIBLE SCHOOL DEFINED.—In this section, 

19 the term ‘‘eligible school’’ means— 

20 (1) an accredited medical school; 

21 (2) an accredited school of nursing; 

22 (3) an accredited school with a— 

23 (A) physician assistant education program; 

24 (B) graduate or undergraduate program in 

25 mental or behavioral health; or 


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1 (C) residency or fellowship program in 

2 health care; and 

3 (4) any other accredited school that specializes 

4 in health education, as determined by the Secretary, 

5 including for continuing education programs. 

6 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

7 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

8 $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 

9 2025. 

10 SEC. 4. INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE. 

11 (a) DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 1 year after the 

12 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop 

13 and maintain a website to inform covered individuals, the 

14 family members or guardians of such individuals, schools 

15 that educate health care providers, and health care pro16 viders on best practices with respect to suicide prevention 

17 and the use of firearms in suicide attempts by covered in18 dividuals. 

19 (b) UPDATE.—The Secretary shall update the infor20 mation on the website developed under subsection (a) 

21 based on the reports submitted pursuant to sections (2)(g) 

22 and (3)(f). 

23 (c) CONSULTATION.—In developing the website under 

24 subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with— 


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1 (1) the individuals and entities referred to in 

2 such subsection; 

3 (2) nonprofit organizations; 

4 (3) such professional associations as the Sec5 retary determines are appropriate; 

6 (4) local health departments; 

7 (5) hospitals that serve covered individuals; 

8 (6) institutions of higher education; 

9 (7) the Department of Veterans Affairs; 

10 (8) Federal firearms license dealers and in11 structors; and 

12 (9) other individuals or entities, as determined 

13 by the Secretary. 

14 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 

15 In this Act: 

16 (1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘covered 

17 individual’’ means an individual who has not at18 tained 26 years of age. 

19 (2) COVERED RISK FACTORS.—The term ‘‘cov20 ered risk factors’’ means factors that increase the 

21 risk of suicide or self-harm with respect to a covered 

22 individual, including the following: 

23 (A) Alcohol abuse or other substance use 

24 disorder. 

25 (B) Sexual or physical abuse. 


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1 (C) A diagnosis of a psychiatric condition 

2 associated with an increased risk of suicide or 

3 self-harm. 

4 (D) Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

5 transgender, or queer. 

6 (E) Being from a racial or ethnic group 

7 with a high rate of suicide or self-harm. 

8 (F) Previous attempts of suicide or self9 harm. 

10 (G) Other factors supported by scientific 

11 evidence to be linked to an increased risk of sui12 cide or self-harm, including family factors and 

13 bullying. 

14 (3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

15 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

16 meaning given such term in section 101 of the High17 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 

18 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

19 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

20 (5) SECURE GUN STORAGE OR SAFETY DE21 VICE.—The term ‘‘secure storage or safety device’’ 

22 has the meaning given to such term in subpara23 graphs (A) and (B) of section 921(a)(34) of title 18, 

24 United States Code. 

25 (6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means— 


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1 (A) each of the 50 States; 

2 (B) the District of Columbia and any terri3 tory or possession of the United States; 

4 (C) Indian tribes and tribal organizations 

5 (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the 

6 Indian Self-Determination and Education As7 sistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)); 

8 (D) Urban Indian organizations (as such 

9 term is defined in section 4 of the Indian 

10 Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 

11 1603)); and 

12 (E) Native Hawaiian organizations and 

13 Native Hawaiian health care systems (as such 

14 terms are defined in section 12 of the Native 

15 Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act (42 

16 U.S.C. 11711)). 

Æ 


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