U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Sept. 17 introduced a bipartisan bill focused on tackling the nation’s rising rates of youth suicides.
“Suicide accounts for two-thirds of all gun deaths and is now the leading cause of death for young people in Colorado,” Sen. Gardner said. “Something has to be done to keep students safe.”
“On average, one person dies by suicide every 22 hours in West Virginia,” added Sen. Capito. “Far too many young West Virginians have turned to self-harm today. It’s an alarming and heartbreaking trend that demands action.”
Sen. Gardner sponsored the Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention (STANDUP) Act, S. 2492, with cosponsors including U.S. Sens. Capito and Doug Jones (D-AL) to provide best practices on student suicide awareness and prevention training.
Additionally, S. 2492 would condition certain federal funding for state educational agencies, local educational agencies, and tribal educational agencies on establishing and implementing a school-based student suicide awareness and prevention training policy, according to the congressional record.
“When I travel across all four corners of our state holding roundtables and hearing from constituents, the topic of suicide comes up in almost every conversation,” Sen. Gardner said. “I thank my colleagues and Sandy Hook Promise for working together across the aisle to develop evidence-based policy to address mental health and suicides in our nation’s schools.”
Specifically, S. 2492 would require states, public schools, and tribes to implement evidence-based policies to prevent suicides in order to receive certain 520A grants under the Public Health Service Act, including Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) grants. Project AWARE grants promote youth mental health awareness among schools and communities and improve connections to services for school-age youth.
“The STANDUP Act works to prevent suicides by teaching kids early about mental health awareness and educating them on the resources available to them,” Sen. Capito said.
In addition to Sandy Hook Promise, S. 2492 is supported by numerous organizations, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and the American Counseling Association.