Evidence-Based Youth Suicide Prevention Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]
Introduced
Summary
Evidence-based youth suicide prevention programs in schools. This bill would create a federal demonstration framework authorizing the Health and Human Services Secretary to fund and evaluate grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to pilot and scale interventions for children and adolescents, prioritizing schools and coordination with State, Tribal, and local education and public health partners.
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- Families and students: Schools would pilot evidence-based prevention programs and collect outcomes that include suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, help-seeking, grades, and attendance.
- Schools and educators: Schools and staff would receive funding, technical assistance, and training support, with implementation tracked by measures like staff participation and training completion.
- States, tribes, and community groups: States, State or local education agencies, Indian Tribes, designated public or nonprofit organizations, and colleges would be eligible for awards. Funding would be prioritized by strength of evidence while reserving support for promising innovations and appropriations are authorized for fiscal years 2027 through 2032.
- Researchers and policymakers: Programs must include rigorous evaluations that follow Office of Management and Budget standards and the Secretary would report evaluation findings and lessons to Congress within 90 days after enactment and annually thereafter.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Multi-year funding authorization
The bill would authorize appropriations of "such sums as may be necessary" to run the program for each fiscal year 2027 through 2032. The law would not set dollar amounts. Funding would depend on future annual appropriation decisions.
New school-based suicide programs
This bill would create demonstration programs to prevent suicide among children and teens. Grants or contracts would pay to pilot, start, or expand programs in K‑12 schools and other youth settings. Only states, state or local education agencies, nonprofits designated by a state or tribe, and colleges could get grants. Programs would have to work with state, tribal, and local education and public health groups and get community input in funding notices.
Stronger evidence, evaluations, and help
The bill would make the Secretary fund programs that have stronger evidence first, while keeping some money for promising new approaches with firm evaluation plans. It would define strong, moderate, and promising evidence and align definitions with other federal standards. The Secretary would offer technical help to grantees on outcomes, data, and evaluation design. Evaluations would have to follow OMB program evaluation standards and the Secretary would report results to Congress within 90 days of enactment and every year after.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]
CO • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2]
IN • R
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov