[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5305 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5305
To amend the Public Health Service Act to modify the grant program for
mental health and substance use disorder services for students in
higher education and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program
to address youth suicide prevention and intervention, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 6, 2026
Mr. McCormick (for himself, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Kaine, and Ms. Hassan)
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 modify the grant program for
mental health and substance use disorder services for students in
higher education and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program
to address youth suicide prevention and intervention, 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 ``Campus Lifeline Act''.
SEC. 2. STUDENT-LED CAMPUS INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING
MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
Section 520E-2 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-
36b) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(10)--
(A) by inserting ``and student organizations that
promote peer mental health awareness, suicide
prevention, or substance use disorder education'' after
``athletic teams'';
(B) by striking ``activities to educate students''
and inserting ``activities--
``(A) to educate students''; and
(C) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated), by
striking ``health.'' and inserting the following:
``health;
``(B) to recognize and intervene effectively and
appropriately with peers experiencing warning signs of
mental health and substance use disorders; and
``(C) to develop and disseminate public service
announcements, including digital and social media
campaigns, that encourage students experiencing
symptoms of mental health conditions or substance use
disorders to recognize when assistance may be needed
and to seek available campus, local, or national
behavioral health resources.'';
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``services.'' and
inserting ``services, including through student-led
outreach activities to peers.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(9) A plan to seek input from students and student
groups, as applicable, with experience leading mental health
awareness and education for peers, in order to carry out the
program under the grant.
``(10) A description of how the applicant will provide
outreach and behavioral health resource information to students
enrolled in online, hybrid, distance-learning, or other remote
education programs, including students residing in rural or
medically underserved communities.
``(11) A description of how the applicant will ensure that
outreach, education, screening, referral, and peer support
activities supported through a grant under this section are
accessible to students enrolled in online, hybrid, distance-
learning, or other remote education programs, including through
virtual engagement and telehealth-enabled resources, as
appropriate.''; and
(3) in subsection (h)--
(A) by striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall, to
the maximum extent practicable and subject to the
availability of appropriations,'';
(B) by striking ``to grantees'' and inserting the
following: ``to--
``(1) grantees''; and
(C) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by
striking ``section.'' and inserting the following:
``section; and
``(2) other institutions of higher education that applied
for, but did not receive, a grant under this section but that
plan to carry out activities similar to the activities funded
by grants under this section.''.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE PROGRAM YOUTH AWARENESS
STRATEGIES.
Section 520E-3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-
36c) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(4), by inserting ``, by coordinating
with and encouraging States, including State educational
agencies, and institutions of higher education to list the
telephone number for the suicide prevention hotline on newly
issued school identification cards, and by encouraging
institutions of higher education to conduct public service
announcements and digital awareness campaigns promoting the
suicide prevention hotline and other appropriate behavioral
health resources for all students, including students who are
enrolled in online, hybrid, distance-learning, or other remote
education programs'' after ``public''; and
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``subsection (b)(1) and
maintaining'' and inserting ``subsection
(b)(1), maintaining''; and
(ii) by inserting ``and improving awareness
of the program under subsection (b)(4),'' after
``subsection (b)(2),'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``, including
awareness activities under subsection (b)(4),'' after
``the program''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``In developing'' and
inserting the following:
``(A) In general.--In developing''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Consultation with other departments and
agencies.--In developing a plan under this subsection
for purposes of improving awareness of the program
under subsection (b)(4), the Secretary shall consult
with the heads of other relevant departments and
agencies, including the Secretary of Education.''.
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