Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act
Bill: S.4970 | Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard (D-CT)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act
This bill requires the Department of Education to encourage institutions of higher education to develop and implement comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans.

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote comprehensive 
   campus mental health and suicide prevention plans, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide 
Prevention Through Campus Planning Act''.

SEC. 2. ENCOURAGING CAMPUS COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE 
              PREVENTION PLANS.

    Part L of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1161l et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 826 as section 827; and
            (2) by inserting after section 825 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 826. ENCOURAGING CAMPUS COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE 
              PREVENTION PLANS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make efforts to encourage 
institutions of higher education to develop and implement comprehensive 
campus mental health and suicide prevention plans. Such efforts--
            ``(1) shall be conducted in coordination with the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services (acting through the Administrator 
        of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
        Administration);
            ``(2) shall align with--
                    ``(A) the efforts of the Suicide Prevention 
                Resource Center, specifically the Center's model of 
                nine strategies that form a comprehensive approach to 
                suicide prevention;
                    ``(B) the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-
                225); and
                    ``(C) the programs authorized under the Garrett Lee 
                Smith Memorial Act (42 U.S.C. 201 note; Public Law 108-
                355);
            ``(3) shall take into consideration existing State efforts 
        to address mental health and suicide prevention at institutions 
        of higher education; and
            ``(4) may be carried out in collaboration with nonprofit 
        organizations and other experts and stakeholders in the field 
        of campus mental health and suicide prevention.
    ``(b) Reports.--The Secretary, or a designee of the Secretary, 
shall report to Congress on the efforts of the Secretary carried out 
under this section--
            ``(1) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
        the Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through 
        Campus Planning Act; and
            ``(2) 3 years after the date of enactment of such Act.
    ``(c) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
creating new statutory requirements for institutions of higher 
education or granting the Secretary new regulatory authority.''.
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