I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5482 
To require the Secretary of Education to issue a rule requiring schools 
to implement protocols for suicide prevention, postvention, and trauma- 
informed care. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 18, 2025 
Mr. NUNN of Iowa (for himself and Mr. PAPPAS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Education to issue a rule requir-
ing schools to implement protocols for suicide prevention, 
postvention, and trauma-informed care. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prevent Youth Suicide 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. RULES ON PROTOCOLS FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION 
AT ANY EDUCATIONAL AGENCY OR INSTITU-
TION 
SERVING 
STUDENTS 
IN 
GRADES 
THROUGH GRADE 12. 
(a) RULE.—Not later than 210 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall 
issue a rule requiring, as a condition of receipt of funds 
under an applicable program, that an educational agency 
or institution carry out each of the following: 
(1) SCHOOL-BASED SUICIDE PREVENTION PRO-
TOCOLS.—The development and implementation of 
evidence-based suicide prevention programs tailored 
to the needs of students, which shall include— 
(A) biennial, evidence-based training for 
staff and faculty to— 
(i) identify signs of distress and risk 
factors for suicide in students; and 
(ii) in a case in which a student has 
been identified as exhibiting such signs or 
risk factors, guidelines for reporting such 
identification to parents and guidance 
counselors, and responding to concerns 
from such parents and counselors; 
(B) establishing a referral system to con-
nect students in need to appropriate mental 
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health resources at school and outside of school; 
and 
(C) conducting awareness campaigns and 
educational initiatives to reduce stigma associ-
ated with seeking help for mental health con-
cerns. 
(2) SUICIDE POSTVENTION SUPPORT.—The de-
velopment 
and 
implementation 
of 
a 
suicide 
postvention plan to address the aftermath of a sui-
cide, focusing on providing support to affected stu-
dents, staff, and the broader community, which shall 
include— 
(A) guidelines for communication, memori-
alization, and resources for grief counseling; 
and 
(B) collaboration with mental health pro-
fessionals and community organizations to en-
sure comprehensive postvention support. 
(3) TRAUMA-INFORMED
CARE.—The adoption 
of a trauma-informed approach in policies and prac-
tices to create a safe and supportive environment for 
all students, which shall include the provision of bi-
ennial trauma-sensitive training for school staff to 
help such staff understand the potential impact of 
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trauma on students and to promote appropriate re-
sponses. 
(b) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
FOR
THE SEC-
RETARY OF EDUCATION.— 
(1) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
shall provide each educational agency or institution 
subject to the rule issued under subsection (a) with 
the resources, guidelines, and technical assistance to 
comply with the requirements of such rule. 
(2) COMPLIANCE MONITORING.—The Secretary 
shall establish to ensure compliance with the rule 
issued under subsection (a), which shall include peri-
odic assessments, evaluations, and audits of each 
such educational agency or institution. 
(3) FEEDBACK AND IMPROVEMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall— 
(A) encourage educational agencies and in-
stitutions to provide feedback to the Secretary 
on the effectiveness of the requirements issued 
under the rule; and 
(B) review such feedback and make nec-
essary revisions to such rule. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) APPLICABLE PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘appli-
cable program’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 400 of the General Education Provisions Act 
(20 U.S.C. 1221). 
(2) EDUCATIONAL AGENCY OR INSTITUTION.— 
The term ‘‘educational agency or institution’’ means 
an educational agency or institution (as defined in 
section 444(a)(3) of the General Education Provi-
sions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g)) that serves students in 
any grade from grade 6 through grade 12, as deter-
mined under State law. 
(3) PARENT.—The term ‘‘parent’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7801). 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
(5) SUICIDE POSTVENTION.—The term ‘‘suicide 
postvention’’ means activities and support provided 
after a suicide has occurred, designed to help indi-
viduals cope with the loss, minimize potential nega-
tive impacts, and prevent contagion. 
(6) SUICIDE PREVENTION.—The term ‘‘suicide 
prevention’’ means comprehensive strategies and ac-
tions aimed at identifying individuals at risk of sui-
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cide, providing appropriate interventions, and fos-
tering a supportive environment to reduce the likeli-
hood of suicidal behavior. 
(7) 
TRAUMA-INFORMED
CARE.—The 
term 
‘‘trauma-informed care’’ means an approach based 
on an understanding of the vulnerabilities and trig-
gers of individuals who have experienced trauma, 
recognize the role trauma has played in the lives of 
those individuals, recognize the presence of trauma 
symptoms and their onset, are supportive of trauma 
recovery, and avoid further traumatization. 
Æ 
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