S. 5305: Campus Lifeline Act

The bill would change two existing federal programs related to mental health and suicide prevention for college students.

Campus mental health and peer support grants

The bill would expand a grant program for higher education institutions so it more clearly supports student-led mental health and substance use prevention efforts. In practical terms, colleges receiving these grants could use the money for:

• educating students about mental health and substance use disorder risks,
• training students to recognize warning signs in their peers and respond appropriately,
• creating and sharing public service announcements and digital or social media campaigns that encourage students to seek help, and
• supporting outreach through student organizations focused on peer mental health awareness, suicide prevention, or substance use education.

The bill also says grant applicants should explain how they will:

• get input from students and student groups with experience in peer mental health awareness,
• reach students in online, hybrid, distance-learning, or other remote programs, including students in rural or medically underserved areas, and
• make outreach, screening, referrals, and peer support accessible to those remote students, including through virtual engagement and telehealth tools when appropriate.

It also directs the federal government to, as much as possible and depending on available funding, give guidance not only to current grant recipients but also to other colleges that applied for grants and plan to do similar work even if they did not receive funding.

Suicide prevention hotline awareness on campuses

The bill would also expand the national suicide prevention hotline outreach program for students in higher education. It would encourage states, schools, and colleges to:

• print the suicide prevention hotline number on newly issued student ID cards,
• run public service announcements and digital awareness campaigns about the hotline and other behavioral health resources, and
• make sure those messages reach students in online and remote learning programs as well as on-campus students.

It would further require federal planning for the hotline program to include improving awareness of these campus-focused outreach efforts and to consult with other agencies, including the Department of Education.

Overall effect

Overall, the bill would broaden federal support for campus-based mental health and suicide prevention efforts, with more emphasis on peer-to-peer outreach, student input, remote student access, and awareness of the national suicide prevention hotline.

Relevant Companies

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