Barriers to Suicide Act of 2023

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a grant program to facilitate the installation, on bridges, of evidence-based suicide deterrents, including suicide prevention nets and barriers, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Barriers to Suicide Act of 2023 2. Grant program (a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program (in this section referred to as the Program (b) Grant authority In carrying out the Program, the Secretary may make grants on a competitive basis in accordance with this section. (c) Eligible recipients The Secretary may make a grant under the Program to a State or a political subdivision of a State. (d) Applications To be eligible for a grant under the Program, an entity described in subsection (c) shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary determines appropriate. (e) Eligible projects The Secretary may make a grant under the Program only for a project that facilitates the installation on a bridge of— (1) a suicide prevention net; (2) a suicide prevention barrier; or (3) any other evidence-based suicide deterrent that is determined by the Secretary to be appropriate. (f) Priority In making a grant under the Program, the Secretary shall give priority to a project located in an area with a high rate of suicide, taking into consideration the number of suicides and rate of suicides per capita in an area, or other priority characteristics, as determined by the Secretary. (g) Federal share The Federal share of the cost of a project assisted with a grant under the Program may not exceed 80 percent. (h) Definitions In this section: (1) State The term State (2) Evidence-based suicide deterrent The term evidence-based suicide deterrent (i) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 3. Title 23 amendment Section 119(d)(2)(I) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking Highway System. Highway System, including installation of safety barriers and nets on bridges of the National Highway System. 4. Study on effectiveness of suicide prevention nets and barriers for structures other than bridges (a) Study The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to identify— (1) the types of structures, other than bridges, that attract a high number of individuals attempting suicide-by-jumping; (2) the characteristics that distinguish structures identified under paragraph (1) from similar structures that do not attract a high number of individuals attempting suicide-by-jumping; (3) the types of nets or barriers that are effective at reducing suicide-by-jumping with respect to the structures identified under paragraph (1); (4) methods of reducing suicide-by-jumping with respect to the structures identified under paragraph (1) other than nets and barriers; (5) quantitative measures of the effectiveness of the nets and barriers identified under paragraph (3); (6) quantitative measures of the effectiveness of the additional methods identified under paragraph (4); (7) the entities that typically install the nets and barriers identified under paragraph (3); and (8) the costs of the nets and barriers identified under paragraph (3). (b) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).

Summary: Barriers to Suicide Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a program to facilitate the installation of evidence-based suicide deterrents on bridges, including suicide prevention nets and barriers. DOT may award competitive grants to states and local governments to carry out the program. The bill also specifies that the installation of safety barriers and nets on bridges of the National Highway System are eligible highway safety improvement projects under the National Highway Performance Program of the Federal Highway Administration. The Government Accountability Office must conduct a study to identify the types of structures, other than bridges, that attract a high number of individuals attempting suicide-by-jumping and the types of nets or barriers that are effective at reducing such suicides.