119-hr5482

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5482 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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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 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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