[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5413 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5413
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 12, 2023
Mr. Nunn of Iowa (for himself and Mrs. Peltola) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Education to issue a rule requiring schools
to implement protocols for suicide prevention, postvention, and trauma-
informed care.
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 ``Prevent Youth Suicide Act''.
SEC. 2. RULES ON PROTOCOLS FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION AT ANY EDUCATIONAL
AGENCY OR INSTITUTION SERVING STUDENTS IN GRADES 6
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 protocols.--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 connect
students in need to appropriate mental health resources
at school and outside of school; and
(C) conducting awareness campaigns and educational
initiatives to reduce stigma associated with seeking
help for mental health concerns.
(2) Suicide postvention support.--The development and
implementation of a suicide postvention plan to address the
aftermath of a suicide, focusing on providing support to
affected students, staff, and the broader community, which
shall include--
(A) guidelines for communication, memorialization,
and resources for grief counseling; and
(B) collaboration with mental health professionals
and community organizations to ensure comprehensive
postvention support.
(3) Trauma-informed care.--The adoption of a trauma-
informed approach in policies and practices to create a safe
and supportive environment for all students, which shall
include the provision of biennial trauma-sensitive training for
school staff to help such staff understand the potential impact
of trauma on students and to promote appropriate responses.
(b) Additional Requirements for the Secretary 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 periodic assessments, evaluations, and
audits of each such educational agency or institution.
(3) Feedback and improvement.--The Secretary shall--
(A) encourage educational agencies and institutions
to provide feedback to the Secretary on the
effectiveness of the requirements issued under the
rule; and
(B) review such feedback and make necessary
revisions to such rule.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Applicable program.--The term ``applicable 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 Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g)) that serves
students in any grade from grade 6 through grade 12, as
determined under State law.
(3) Parent.--The term ``parent'' has the meaning given the
term in section 8101 of the Elementary 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 individuals cope with the loss,
minimize potential negative impacts, and prevent contagion.
(6) Suicide prevention.--The term ``suicide prevention''
means comprehensive strategies and actions aimed at identifying
individuals at risk of suicide, providing appropriate
interventions, and fostering a supportive environment to reduce
the likelihood of suicidal behavior.
(7) Trauma-informed care.--The term ``trauma-informed
care'' means an approach based on an understanding of the
vulnerabilities and triggers 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.
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