[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9036 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9036
To establish a grant program to facilitate peer-to-peer suicide
prevention programs for middle school and high school students, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 29, 2022
Mr. Beyer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, 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 establish a grant program to facilitate peer-to-peer suicide
prevention programs for middle school and high school students, 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 ``Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention
Act''.
SEC. 2. PEER-TO-PEER SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall establish a
program (in this section, referred to as the ``Program'') to award
grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities for the purpose of
facilitating peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs for middle school
and high school students.
(b) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the
Program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(c) Use of Amounts.--An eligible entity may only use grant amounts
provided under the Program to--
(1) assist an existing peer-to-peer suicide prevention
program; or
(2) establish a new peer-to-peer suicide prevention
program.
(d) Relationship to Other Federal Programs.--An eligible entity
that receives a grant under the Program may combine such grant with
other Federal funds awarded to support the activities carried out with
the grant.
(e) Awarding of Grants.--
(1) Priority.--In awarding grants under the Program, the
Secretary shall give priority to the following:
(A) Eligible entities not previously awarded a
grant under the Program.
(B) Eligible entities proposing to use grant
amounts to establish a new peer-to-peer suicide
prevention program.
(C) Eligible entities that demonstrate the ability
to provide peer-to-peer suicide prevention programming
that is evidence-informed.
(D) Eligible entities that demonstrate the ability
to provide peer-to-peer suicide prevention programming
that is culturally and linguistically competent.
(E) Peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs
focused primarily on student, rather than teacher,
training.
(2) Grant amounts.--A grant awarded to an eligible entity
under the Program may not exceed $5,000.
(f) Coordination With SAMHSA.--The Secretary shall consult with the
Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration for purposes of developing the Program and selecting
eligible entities to receive grants under Program.
(g) Evaluation Process.--The Secretary shall develop and implement
a process to evaluate the performance of eligible entities that receive
grants under the Program. The Secretary shall ensure that the
evaluation process incorporates input from students.
(h) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary of Education and the
Secretary of Health and Human Services (acting through the
Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration) shall carry out a program to provide technical
assistance to eligible entities applying for and receiving grants under
this section, which shall include the development and dissemination of
best practices for peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 each fiscal year.
(j) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means
any of the following that serve at least one school that
provides education at the middle school or high school level:
(A) A local educational agency (including a charter
school that is a local educational agency).
(B) An Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(25 U.S.C. 5304)) or a Tribal educational agency.
(C) The Bureau of Indian Education.
(2) ESEA terms.--The terms ``high school'' and ``local
educational agency'' have the meanings given the terms in
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(3) Peer-to-peer suicide prevention program.--The term
``peer-to-peer suicide prevention program'' means a program
that--
(A) provides students and adult advisors the
knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and
appropriately respond to the signs of suicide and
depression;
(B) includes an in-person training component, when
practicable; and
(C) is student-led.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
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