Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2021

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. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2021 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. 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. 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) (1) in paragraph (4), by striking and (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; 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) (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 (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 (C) The term school personnel (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 (1) by striking For the purpose (1) In general For the purpose ; (2) by striking 2022 2028 (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). .

Summary: 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.