S. 4210

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4210 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4210

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 25, 2026

Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Booker, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Alsobrooks, and Ms. Duckworth) introduced the 
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

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 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 
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; and
(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 2030, 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 
2030, the Secretary shall submit a report to 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 2027 through 2030.

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 
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) any professional associations as the Secretary 
determines 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 2030, 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 
2030, the Secretary shall submit a report to 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 2027 through 2030.

SEC. 4. INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE.

(a) Development.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 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(g) 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 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 for which scientific evidence 
supports a link 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 
gun 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));
(D) Urban Indian organizations (as such term is 
defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)); and
(E) Native Hawaiian organizations and Native 
Hawaiian health care systems (as such terms are defined 
in section 12 of the Native Hawaiian Health Care 
Improvement Act (42 U.S.C. 11711)).
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