HR 8961 — Student Suicide Prevention Awareness Act of 2026

Summary

Establishes a public awareness campaign on youth suicide prevention resources and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to be carried out in coordination with schools.
Requires schools to update signage in visible locations to inform students about suicide prevention resources and how to access the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Specifies that signage must include the 988 phone number and explain that students can call, text, or use digital chat services to access support.
Requires signage to clearly state that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Mandates that signage be displayed in multiple school locations including entrances, student common areas, counselor offices, restrooms, and digital bulletin boards.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Rep. Carter, Troy A. (D-LA) [#2]

2 cosponsors

Del. Moylan, James C. (R-GU) [At-large]
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie (D-NJ) [#12]

Money behind the sponsor

Top reported contributors to Troy A. Carter’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.

Employer not reported $30,950
OCHSNER HEALTH $19,350
RIVER BIRCH, LLC $13,200
AKD LAW $10,800
CENTRAL MANAGEMENT $10,000

Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Troy A. Carter → · Outside spending →

Actions (2)

May 21, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
May 21, 2026 Introduced in House

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 21, 2026

Mr. Carter of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. Moylan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act to provide for a public awareness campaign for schools regarding youth suicide prevention resources, 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 “Student Suicide Prevention Awareness Act of 2026”.

SEC. 2. PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR SCHOOLS REGARDING YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES.

Section 520B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-32) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (2), by striking “and” at the end;

(B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph

(4); and

(C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

“(3) carrying out, in coordination with the Secretary, a public awareness campaign on youth suicide prevention resources, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, that—

“(A) includes public outreach with respect to the development of such campaign; and

“(B) provides support to schools to update signage relating to the availability of such resources that meets the requirements specified in subsection (d); and”;

(2) by redesignating subsections (d) through (g) as subsections (e) through (h), respectively;

(3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

“(d) Signage on Availability of Resources.—The requirements specified in this subsection with respect to signage relating to the availability of youth suicide prevention resources are that the signage be clear and visible signage that—

“(1) includes—

“(A) the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline phone number;

“(B) information that students can access support by—

“(i) calling or sending a text message to such phone number; or

“(ii) using digital chat services provided by the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline;

“(C) language encouraging students experiencing emotional distress to seek help; and

“(D) language indicating that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week; and

“(2) is displayed, or digitally posted, as applicable, in locations easily visible to students, including—

“(A) entrances and exits of the school;

“(B) student common areas;

“(C) school counselor offices;

“(D) school nurse offices;

“(E) gymnasiums;

“(F) auditoriums;

“(G) art rooms;

“(H) music rooms;

“(I) libraries;

“(J) student restrooms (including bathroom stalls and sinks) and locker rooms; and

“(K) digital school bulletin boards, as applicable.”; and

(4) in subsection (g), as so redesignated, by striking “2024” and inserting “2027”. <all>

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