S3779-118

2. Grant program to address youth suicide and lethal means 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. 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. In this section, the term eligible entity includes— a State; a State or local health department; a professional membership organization that specializes in health care; a hospital that serves covered individuals; a nonprofit organization; or an institution of higher education. 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— 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; 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; covered risk factors and the relationship of such factors to suicide and self-harm; suicide prevention and intervention; support strategies for covered individuals after the occurrence of a suicide or suicide attempt; racial and ethnic disparities with respect to covered individuals who attempt suicide or self-harm, disaggregated by the age and gender of covered individuals; 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; State and Federal laws with respect to the use and possession of firearms; communication strategies to discuss such laws with covered individuals and the family members or guardians of such individuals; and 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. 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. 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 strategy to make secure gun storage or safety devices available at reduced or no cost to residences with at least one covered individual; and 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. 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. 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. Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall submit, on an annual basis through fiscal year 2027, a report to the Secretary on the activities carried out through the grant. The Secretary shall make each report submitted under subparagraph (A) publicly available on the website of the Department of Health and Human Services. Not later than the end of fiscal year 2027, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that includes— a summary of the reports submitted to the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1); and recommendations with respect to the implementation of evidence-aligned practices in health care settings to reduce the suicide rates of covered individuals. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2024 through 2027.

3. Grant program to develop and integrate suicide prevention and lethal means safety curricula 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). 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. In carrying out activities through a grant under this section, an eligible school may develop a partnership with— a local health department; such professional associations as the Secretary determines are appropriate; a nonprofit organization; and an institution of higher education. The content to be developed and integrated pursuant to subsection (a) shall address each of the following: Lethal means safety and injury prevention, including— safe storage of a firearm and ammunition; and State and Federal laws that apply to the use and possession of a firearm. 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. 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— covered individuals; and individuals at a high risk of suicide. Validated, developmentally and age-appropriate, and evidence-aligned screening and risk assessment techniques with respect to suicide and the use of a firearm. Strategies to identify covered risk factors. 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. The Secretary shall provide— to eligible schools, technical assistance in applying for a grant under this section; and to eligible schools receiving grants under this section, technical assistance in carrying out the activities funded through the grants. Each eligible school that receives a grant under this section shall submit, on an annual basis through fiscal year 2027, a report to the Secretary on the activities carried out through the grant. The Secretary shall make each report submitted under subparagraph (A) publicly available on the website of the Department of Health and Human Services. Not later than the end of fiscal year 2027, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that includes— a summary of the reports submitted to the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1); and recommendations for curricula on suicide prevention. In this section, the term eligible school means— an accredited medical school; an accredited school of nursing; an accredited school with a— physician assistant education program; graduate or undergraduate program in mental or behavioral health; or residency or fellowship program in health care; and any other accredited school that specializes in health education, as determined by the Secretary, including for continuing education programs. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2024 through 2027.