Rep. Lou Correa Leads House & Senate In Introducing Legislation To Address Suicide In Young Adults
Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Lou Correa’s (D-CA-46) introduced bipartisan legislation with Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT-2) and Senators Doug Jones (D-AL) and John Kennedy (R-LA). The bill, H.R. 3192 - Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act, will help address suicide amongst teens and young adults by increasing access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Text Line.
Rep. Lou Correa said, “My legislation is straightforward—too many of our young people are taking their own lives, and we must act. By adding crucial suicide prevention information to Student I.D.s and college websites, we can ensure at-risk students have options.
“I am grateful to my colleagues for stepping up and addressing suicide amongst our youth. Every young person deserves a future. We must do everything we can to ensure they get one.”
Rep. Chris Steward said, “A loss of life at any age is tragic, but it is especially heartbreaking losing students at such an exciting and pivotal time in their lives. This bill will make existing critical resources more visible for those in crisis and improve mental health across college campuses.”
Senator Doug Jones said, “Over the past ten years, we’ve seen an alarming trend of rising suicide rates among young people. Students should know that there are resources to help them deal with the pressures of being a college student and take care of their mental health. This bill helps remove the stigma associated with mental health issues and helps spread awareness about the resources that are available to students.”
Senator John Kennedy said, “It can be really hard to be a kid in the world today. These mental health resources can be lifesaving, and college students deserve to know what help is available to them when they need it most.
“I hope that this legislation will shed light on the many resources that students can access whenever they need an attentive ear or proper medical attention.”
BACKGROUND: To raise awareness of these available resources, the bill requires colleges and universities to provide the contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; Crisis Text Line; and a campus mental health center, if applicable, on student identification cards. For colleges and universities that do not provide identification cards to their students, schools must ensure that the information is available on their website.
In 2017, there were more than 47,000 suicides nationwide, making it the tenth-leading cause of death. Among teenagers and young adults, the suicide rate is particularly alarming, with suicide reported as the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24.
Suicide is a significant public health problem. Providing information on existing suicide prevention resources can help students experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress and potentially save lives.
Rep. Lou Correa represents California’s 46th Congressional District. He serves as Chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, and as the Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. Read more here.
Next Article Previous Article