[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2175 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2175
To amend the Public Health Service Act to support the planning,
implementation, and evaluation of organized activities involving
statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 8, 2004
Mr. Dodd (for himself, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Reid) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to support the planning,
implementation, and evaluation of organized activities involving
statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies,
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 ``Youth Suicide Early Intervention and
Prevention Expansion Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) More children and young adults die from suicide each
year than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects,
stroke, and chronic lung disease combined.
(2) Over 4,000 children and young adults tragically take
their lives every year, making suicide the third overall cause
of death between the ages of 10 and 24. According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suicide is the third
overall cause of death among college-age students.
(3) According to the National Center for Injury Prevention
and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
children and young adults accounted for 15 percent of all
suicides completed in 2000.
(4) From 1952 to 1995, the rate of suicide in children and
young adults has tripled.
(5) From 1980 to 1997, the rate of suicide among young
adults ages 15 to 19 increased 11 percent.
(6) From 1980 to 1997, the rate of suicide among children
ages 10 to 14 increased 109 percent.
(7) According to the National Center of Health Statistics,
suicide rates among Native Americans range from 1.5 to 3 times
the national average for other groups, with young people ages
15 to 34 making up 64 percent of all suicides.
(8) Congress has recognized that youth suicide is a public
health tragedy linked to underlying mental health problems and
that youth suicide early intervention and prevention activities
are national priorities.
(9) Youth suicide early intervention and prevention have
been listed as urgent public health priorities by the
President's New Freedom Commission in Mental Health (2002), the
Institute of Medicine's Reducing Suicide: A National Imperative
(2002), the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention: Goals and
Objectives for Action (2001), and the Surgeon General's Call to
Action To Prevent Suicide (1999).
(10) Many States have already developed comprehensive youth
suicide early intervention and prevention strategies that seek
to provide effective early intervention and prevention
services.
SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES ACT.
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 399O. SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.
``(a) Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or
cooperative agreements to eligible entities to--
``(A) develop and implement statewide youth suicide
early intervention and prevention strategies in
schools, educational institutions, juvenile justice
systems, substance abuse programs, mental health
programs, foster care systems, and other child and
youth support organizations;
``(B) collect and analyze data on statewide youth
suicide early intervention and prevention services that
can be used to monitor the effectiveness of such
services and for research, technical assistance, and
policy development; and
``(C) assist States, through statewide youth
suicide early intervention and prevention strategies,
in achieving their targets for youth suicide reductions
under title V of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701
et seq.).
``(2) Eligible entity defined.--In this subsection, the
term `eligible entity' means a State, political subdivision of
a State, federally-recognized Indian tribe, tribal
organization, public organization, or private nonprofit
organization actively involved in youth suicide early
intervention and prevention activities and in the development
and continuation of statewide youth suicide early intervention
and prevention strategies.
``(3) Preference.--The Secretary shall give preference to
eligible entities that--
``(A) provide early intervention services to youth
in, and that are integrated with, school systems,
educational institutions, juvenile justice systems,
substance abuse programs, mental health programs,
foster care systems, and other child and youth support
organizations;
``(B) demonstrate collaboration among early
intervention and prevention services or certify that
entities will engage in future collaboration;
``(C) employ or include in their applications a
commitment to engage in an evaluative process the best
evidence-based or promising youth suicide early
intervention and prevention practices and strategies
adapted to the local community;
``(D) provide for the timely assessment of youth
who are at risk for emotional disorders which may lead
to suicide attempts;
``(E) provide timely referrals for appropriate
community-based mental health care and treatment of
youth in all child-serving settings and agencies who
are at risk for suicide;
``(F) provide immediate support and information
resources to families of youth who are at risk for
emotional behavioral disorders which may lead to
suicide attempts;
``(G) offer equal access to services and care to
youth with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds;
``(H) offer appropriate postvention services, care,
and information to families, friends, schools,
educational institutions, juvenile justice systems,
substance abuse programs, mental health programs,
foster care systems, and other child and youth support
organizations of youth who recently completed suicide;
``(I) offer continuous and up-to-date information
and awareness campaigns that target parents, family
members, child care professionals, community care
providers, and the general public and highlight the
risk factors associated with youth suicide and the
life-saving help and care available from early
intervention and prevention services;
``(J) ensure that information and awareness
campaigns on youth suicide risk factors, and early
intervention and prevention services, use effective
communication mechanisms that are targeted to and reach
youth, families, schools, educational institutions, and
youth organizations;
``(K) provide a timely response system to ensure
that child-serving professionals and providers are
properly trained in youth suicide early intervention
and prevention strategies and that child-serving
professionals and providers involved in early
intervention and prevention services are properly
trained in effectively identifying youth who are at
risk for suicide;
``(L) provide continuous training activities for
child care professionals and community care providers
on the latest best evidence-based youth suicide early
intervention and prevention services practices and
strategies; and
``(M) work with interested families and advocacy
organizations to conduct annual self-evaluations of
outcomes and activities on the State level, according
to standards established by the Secretary.
``(b) Technical Assistance, Data Management, and Research.--
``(1) Technical assistance and data management.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall award
technical assistance grants and cooperative agreements
to State agencies to conduct assessments independently
or in collaboration with educational institutions
related to the development of statewide youth suicide
early intervention and prevention strategies.
``(B) Authorized activities.--Grants awarded under
subparagraph (A) shall be used to establish programs
for the development of standardized procedures for data
management, such as--
``(i) ensuring the quality surveillance of
youth suicide early intervention and prevention
strategies;
``(ii) providing technical assistance on
data collection and management;
``(iii) studying the costs and
effectiveness of statewide youth suicide early
intervention and prevention strategies in order
to answer relevant issues of importance to
State and national policymakers;
``(iv) further identifying and
understanding causes of and associated risk
factors for youth suicide;
``(v) ensuring the quality surveillance of
suicidal behaviors and nonfatal suicidal
attempts;
``(vi) studying the effectiveness of
statewide youth suicide early intervention and
prevention strategies on the overall wellness
and health promotion strategies related to
suicide attempts; and
``(vii) promoting the sharing of data
regarding youth suicide with Federal agencies
involved with youth suicide early intervention
and prevention, and statewide youth suicide
early intervention and prevention strategies
for the purpose of identifying previously
unknown mental health causes and associated
risk-factors for suicide in youth.
``(2) Research.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a
program of research and development on the efficacy of
new and existing youth suicide early intervention
techniques and technology, including clinical studies
and evaluations of early intervention methods, and
related research aimed at reducing youth suicide and
offering support for emotional and behavioral disorders
which may lead to suicide attempts.
``(B) Disseminating research.--The Secretary shall
promote the sharing of research and development data
developed pursuant to subparagraph (A) with the Federal
agencies involved in youth suicide early intervention
and prevention, and entities involved in statewide
youth suicide early intervention and prevention
strategies for the purpose of applying and integrating
new techniques and technology into existing statewide
youth suicide early intervention and strategies
systems.
``(c) Coordination and Collaboration.--
``(1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary shall collaborate and consult with--
``(A) other Federal agencies and State and local
agencies, including agencies responsible for early
intervention and prevention services under title XIX of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), the
State Children's Health Insurance Program under title
XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et
seq.), programs funded by grants under title V of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), and
programs under part C of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.),
and the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
Federal Steering Group;
``(B) local and national organizations that serve
youth at risk for suicide and their families;
``(C) relevant national medical and other health
and education specialty organizations;
``(D) youth who are at risk for suicide, who have
survived suicide attempts, or who are currently
receiving care from early intervention services;
``(E) families and friends of youth who are at risk
for suicide, who have survived suicide attempts, who
are currently receiving care from early intervention
and prevention services, or who have completed suicide;
``(F) qualified professionals who possess the
specialized knowledge, skills, experience, and relevant
attributes needed to serve youth at risk for suicide
and their families; and
``(G) third-party payers, managed care
organizations, and related commercial industries.
``(2) Policy development.--The Secretary shall coordinate
and collaborate on policy development at the Federal and State
levels and with the private sector, including consumer,
medical, suicide prevention advocacy groups, and other health
and education professional-based organizations, with respect to
statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention
strategies.
``(d) Rule of Construction; Religious Accommodation.--Nothing in
this section shall be construed to preempt any State law, including any
State law that does not require the suicide early intervention for
youth whose parents or legal guardians object to such early
intervention based on the parents' or legal guardians' religious
beliefs.
``(e) Evaluation.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct an
evaluation to analyze the effectiveness and efficacy of the
activities conducted with grants under this section.
``(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report concerning the
results of the evaluation conducted under paragraph (1).
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Best evidence-based.--The term `best evidence-based'
with respect to programs, means programs that have undergone
scientific evaluation and have proven to be effective.
``(2) Early intervention.--The term `early intervention'
means a strategy or approach that is intended to prevent an
outcome or to alter the course of an existing condition.
``(3) Educational institution.--The term `educational
institution' means a high school, vocational school, or an
institution of higher education.
``(4) Prevention.--The term `prevention' means a strategy
or approach that reduces the likelihood or risk of onset, or
delays the onset, of adverse health problems or reduces the
harm resulting from conditions or behaviors.
``(5) School.--The term `school' means a nonprofit
institutional day or residential school that provides an
elementary, middle, or secondary education, as determined under
applicable State law, except that such term does not include
any education beyond the 12th grade.
``(6) Youth.--The term `youth' means individuals who are
between 6 and 24 years of age.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) Statewide youth suicide early intervention and
prevention strategies.--For the purpose of carrying out
subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated
$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $25,000,000 for fiscal year
2005, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and such sums as may be
necessary for each subsequent fiscal year.
``(2) Technical assistance, data management, and
research.--For the purpose of carrying out subsection (b),
there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal
year 2003, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $5,000,000 for
fiscal year 2005, and such sums as may be necessary for each
subsequent fiscal year.''.
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