[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5035 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5035
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 13, 2021
Ms. Underwood (for herself and Ms. Schrier) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and
in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
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 ``Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal
Means Safety Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUICIDE AND LETHAL MEANS.
(a) In General.--Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible
entities 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.
(b) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may
require.
(c) Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term ``eligible entity''
includes--
(1) a State;
(2) a State or local health department;
(3) a professional membership organization that specializes
in health care;
(4) a hospital that serves covered individuals;
(5) a nonprofit organization; or
(6) an institution of higher education.
(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this section shall use the grant funds to establish or expand programs
to educate or train health care providers as described in subsection
(a), including education and training on--
(1) identification of covered individuals who may be at a
high risk of suicide or self-harm using validated,
developmentally and age-appropriate, and evidence-aligned
screening and risk assessment techniques;
(2) communication with covered individuals and the family
members or guardians of such individuals on lethal means safety
and injury prevention, including the safe storage of firearms;
(3) covered risk factors and the relationship of such
factors to suicide and self-harm;
(4) suicide prevention and intervention;
(5) support strategies for covered individuals after the
occurrence of a suicide or suicide attempt;
(6) racial and ethnic disparities with respect to covered
individuals who attempt suicide or self-harm, disaggregated by
the age and gender of covered individuals;
(7) methods and means used by covered individuals to
attempt suicide and, with respect to such methods and means,
best practices to ensure the safety of a covered individual,
including safety plans and plans that address such methods and
means;
(8) State and Federal laws with respect to the use and
possession of firearms;
(9) communication strategies to discuss such laws with
covered individuals and the family members or guardians of such
individuals; and
(10) procedures for referring covered individuals who may
be at a high risk of suicide or self-harm to other health care
providers, social services, or crisis resources.
(e) Secure Gun Storage or Safety Devices.--
(1) In general.--An entity receiving a grant under this
section may use not more than 15 percent of the funds received
through the grant to make secure gun storage or safety devices
available at reduced or no cost to residences with at least one
covered individual.
(2) Application.--If an applicant for a grant under this
section seeks to use the grant as described in paragraph (1),
the applicant shall include in its application under subsection
(b)--
(A) a strategy to make secure gun storage or safety
devices available at reduced or no cost to residences
with at least one covered individual; and
(B) information about the types of devices that
will be so made available based on a demonstration of
available information about the secure gun storage or
safety device needs of the community or communities in
which such residences are located.
(3) Counseling.--A recipient of a grant under this section
that chooses to use a portion of the grant as described in
paragraph (1) shall provide appropriate counseling on the use
of secure gun storage or safety devices to one or more
individuals at each residence that receives such a device
through funds made available through such grant.
(f) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance to recipients of grants under this section and health care
providers on best practices in implementing programs to educate or
train health care providers on evidence-aligned practices for the
purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals.
(g) Report.--
(1) By grantees.--
(A) Submission.--Each eligible entity that receives
a grant under this section shall submit, on an annual
basis through fiscal year 2025, a report to the
Secretary on the activities carried out through the
grant.
(B) Public availability.--The Secretary shall make
each report submitted under subparagraph (A) publicly
available on the website of the Department of Health
and Human Services.
(2) By secretary.--Not later than the end of fiscal year
2025, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress that
includes--
(A) a summary of the reports submitted to the
Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1); and
(B) recommendations with respect to the
implementation of evidence-aligned practices in health
care settings to reduce the suicide rates of covered
individuals.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2022 through 2025.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO DEVELOP AND INTEGRATE SUICIDE PREVENTION AND
LETHAL MEANS SAFETY CURRICULA.
(a) In General.--Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible
schools to develop and integrate in the curricula and continuing
education programs of such schools the content described in subsection
(d).
(b) Application.--An eligible school seeking a grant under this
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may
require.
(c) Partnership.--In carrying out activities through a grant under
this section, an eligible school may develop a partnership with--
(1) a local health department;
(2) such professional associations as the Secretary
determines are appropriate;
(3) a nonprofit organization; and
(4) an institution of higher education.
(d) Curricula Content.--The content to be developed and integrated
pursuant to subsection (a) shall address each of the following:
(1) Lethal means safety and injury prevention, including--
(A) safe storage of a firearm and ammunition; and
(B) State and Federal laws that apply to the use
and possession of a firearm.
(2) Best practices that are evidence-aligned and culturally
appropriate with respect to communicating with patients and the
families of patients about lethal means safety and injury
prevention.
(3) Evidence-aligned strategies with respect to suicide
prevention, intervention, and support to individuals after the
occurrence of a suicide or suicide attempt, with an emphasis
on--
(A) covered individuals; and
(B) individuals at a high risk of suicide.
(4) Validated, developmentally and age-appropriate, and
evidence-aligned screening and risk assessment techniques with
respect to suicide and the use of a firearm.
(5) Strategies to identify covered risk factors.
(6) Methods or means used by a covered individual to
attempt suicide and, with respect to such methods or means,
best practices to ensure the safety of a covered individual,
including safety plans and plans that address such methods and
means.
(e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide--
(1) to eligible schools, technical assistance in applying
for a grant under this section; and
(2) to eligible schools receiving grants under this
section, technical assistance in carrying out the activities
funded through the grants.
(f) Report.--
(1) By grantees.--
(A) Submission.--Each eligible school that receives
a grant under this section shall submit, on an annual
basis through fiscal year 2025, a report to the
Secretary on the activities carried out through the
grant.
(B) Public availability.--The Secretary shall make
each report submitted under subparagraph (A) publicly
available on the website of the Department of Health
and Human Services.
(2) By secretary.--Not later than the end of fiscal year
2025, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress that
includes--
(A) a summary of the reports submitted to the
Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1); and
(B) recommendations for curricula on suicide
prevention.
(g) Eligible School Defined.--In this section, the term ``eligible
school'' means--
(1) an accredited medical school;
(2) an accredited school of nursing;
(3) an accredited school with a--
(A) physician assistant education program;
(B) graduate or undergraduate program in mental or
behavioral health; or
(C) residency or fellowship program in health care;
and
(4) any other accredited school that specializes in health
education, as determined by the Secretary, including for
continuing education programs.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2022 through 2025.
SEC. 4. INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE.
(a) Development.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop and maintain a
website to inform covered individuals, the family members or guardians
of such individuals, schools that educate health care providers, and
health care providers on best practices with respect to suicide
prevention and the use of firearms in suicide attempts by covered
individuals.
(b) Update.--The Secretary shall update the information on the
website developed under subsection (a) based on the reports submitted
pursuant to sections (2)(f) and (3)(f).
(c) Consultation.--In developing the website under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall consult with--
(1) the individuals and entities referred to in such
subsection;
(2) nonprofit organizations;
(3) such professional associations as the Secretary
determines are appropriate;
(4) local health departments;
(5) hospitals that serve covered individuals;
(6) institutions of higher education;
(7) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(8) Federal firearms license dealers and instructors; and
(9) other individuals or entities, as determined by the
Secretary.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Covered individual.--The term ``covered individual''
means an individual who has not attained 26 years of age.
(2) Covered risk factors.--The term ``covered risk
factors'' means factors that increase the risk of suicide or
self-harm with respect to a covered individual, including the
following:
(A) Alcohol abuse or other substance use disorder.
(B) Sexual or physical abuse.
(C) A diagnosis of a psychiatric condition
associated with an increased risk of suicide or self-
harm.
(D) Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or
queer.
(E) Being from a racial or ethnic group with a high
rate of suicide or self-harm.
(F) Previous attempts of suicide or self-harm.
(G) Other factors supported by scientific evidence
to be linked to an increased risk of suicide or self-
harm, including family factors and bullying.
(3) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(5) Secure gun storage or safety device.--The term ``secure
storage or safety device'' has the meaning given to such term
in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 921(a)(34) of title 18,
United States Code.
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means--
(A) each of the 50 States;
(B) the District of Columbia and any territory or
possession of the United States;
(C) Indian tribes and tribal organizations (as such
terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304)); and
(D) Urban Indian organizations (as such term is
defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)).
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