Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act

Richard Blumenthal

Democrat · CT · Senator

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Christopher Murphy (D-CT)Original· 2026-06-18
• Michael F. Bennet (D-CO)Original· 2026-06-18
• Tim Scott (R-SC)Original· 2026-06-18
• Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)· 2026-07-14

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

2026-06-18

Source: Congress.gov

Colleges and universities would be required to develop detailed mental health and suicide prevention plans that address student needs, train staff to recognize warning signs, and establish clear procedures for helping students in crisis. The bill aims to reduce suicide rates among college students by ensuring schools have comprehensive strategies in place, affecting both students seeking mental health support and the institutions responsible for their wellbeing.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4843 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4843 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 18, 2026 Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Bennet) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans, 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 ``Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act''. SEC. 2. ENCOURAGING CAMPUS COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION PLANS. Part L of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161l et seq.) is amended-- (1) by redesignating section 826 as section 827; and (2) by inserting after section 825 the following new section: ``SEC. 826. ENCOURAGING CAMPUS COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION PLANS. ``(a) Model Plans.-- ``(1) In general.--Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) shall develop and disseminate 1 or more evidence-based model mental health and suicide prevention action plans to serve as models for institutions of higher education that want to implement such plans. The Secretary shall ensure that those model plans are aligned with the evidence-based suicide prevention programs of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. ``(2) Updates.--Not less frequently than once every 5 years, the Secretary shall update the model plans described in paragraph (1). ``(b) Technical Assistance.--After developing and disseminating the model plans described in subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), shall provide technical assistance to institutions of higher education that want to implement comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention plans modeled after the model plans described in subsection (a). In providing such technical assistance, the Secretary-- ``(1) shall take into consideration existing State efforts to address mental health and suicide prevention at institutions of higher education; and ``(2) may collaborate with nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, student organizations, or other experts and stakeholders in the field of mental health and suicide prevention at institutions of higher education. ``(c) Reports.--The Secretary, or a designee of the Secretary, shall submit a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Energy and Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives, and the Education and Workforce Committee of the House of Representatives on the activities of the Secretary carried out under this section-- ``(1) not later than 1 year after the developing the first model plan described in subsection (a)(1); and ``(2) not later than 1 year after each update described in subsection (a)(2). ``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating new legal requirements for institutions of higher education.''. <all>

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