S. 4061: Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention Act

The **Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention Act**, also known as the **RAYS Act**, aims to enhance mental health and suicide prevention awareness among secondary school students. The bill seeks to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and introduces several key requirements for local educational agencies (LEAs) that receive federal funding under this Act.

Mental Health Information on Student ID Cards

Local educational agencies are required to take the following actions regarding student identification cards:

• Inclusion of Critical Contacts: LEAs that issue identification cards must include contact information for three specific mental health resources:
  • The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (or another designated alternative),
  • The Crisis Text Line (or another designated alternative), and
  • A state or local suicide prevention hotline, if available.
• Alternative Actions for LEAs Without ID Cards: Agencies that do not issue student ID cards must:
  • Publish the required contact information prominently on their public websites, and
  • Include this information on platforms and software regularly used by students.

Methods of Inclusion

Local educational agencies have the flexibility to include the required information in various ways, such as:

• Printing the information directly onto the ID cards;
• Using stickers affixed to the cards;
• Any other method deemed appropriate by the agency.

Alternative Services

If any of the specified mental health services become unavailable, the Secretary of Education has the authority to designate alternative services that provide similar mental health resources. Local educational agencies must be notified of these changes, including the updated contact information for the newly designated services.

Optional Additional Resources

LEAs may also consider including additional mental health resource information on student ID cards, such as:

• Contact details for school counselors or mental health resources available within the school, and
• Providing this information on ID cards issued to teachers and other school personnel.

Outreach and Awareness Campaigns

The Secretary of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and other relevant agencies, is tasked with conducting outreach campaigns. These campaigns will:

• Inform students, parents, and school personnel about the mental health resources included on student ID cards,
• Utilize various communication channels such as school programs, websites, and social media for dissemination, and
• Ensure information is accessible to individuals with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities.

Implementation Timeline

The requirements for including mental health information on student IDs will apply from the school year following the effective date of the Act. However, the rules for publishing information for agencies that don’t issue ID cards will begin 60 days after the Act takes effect.

Effective Date

The provisions outlined in this bill will become effective one year after the date of enactment.

Relevant Companies

None found.