Legislation Search

H.R. 3624: Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act

This bill, known as the Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act, aims to enhance mental health resources available to students by requiring educational institutions to provide specific suicide prevention contact information. Here are the key components of the bill:

Provision for School Identification Cards

The bill mandates that schools which create and distribute student identification cards must include contact information for the following resources:

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: A national hotline for those in crisis.
Crisis Text Line: A text-based service for immediate support.
On-campus mental health centers or programs: Contact information for the mental health services available within the institution.

Alternative for Institutions without ID Cards

If an institution does not produce student ID cards, it must instead publish the same suicide prevention contact information on its official website. This ensures that all students can access vital mental health resources regardless of whether they receive a physical ID card.

Deadline for Implementation

The changes outlined in the amendment are set to take effect one year after the bill is enacted. This timeline allows educational institutions time to adjust their systems and ensure compliance with the new requirements.

This Bill's Impact

The goal of this bill is to make mental health resources more accessible to students, potentially leading to increased awareness and support for those in crisis. By having this information easily accessible through identification cards and institution websites, the bill seeks to provide direct lines of communication to critical resources for students in need.