H.R. 8978

119 HR 8978 IH: Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-05-21
 text/xml
 EN
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 8978  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   May 21, 2026   Mr. Mannion  (for himself and  Mr. Fitzpatrick ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Education and Workforce    A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act  .
2.
Encouraging campus comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention plans
Part L of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1161l et seq. ) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating section 826 as section 827; and
(2)
by inserting after section 825 the following new section:
826.
Encouraging campus comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention plans
(a)
In general
The Secretary shall make efforts to encourage institutions of higher education to develop and implement evidence-based comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans. Such efforts—
(1)
shall be conducted in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use);
(2)
shall align with—
(A)
the efforts and approaches recommended by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center; and
(B)
the programs authorized under—
(i)
section 9032 of the 21st Century Cures Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36b note;  Public Law 114–255 );
(ii)
section 520C of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–34 );
(iii)
section 520E of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–36 );
(iv)
section 520E–1 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–36a );
(v)
section 520E–2 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–36b ); and
(vi)
section 549 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290ee–4 );
(3)
shall take into consideration existing Federal and State efforts to address mental health and suicide prevention at institutions of higher education; and
(4)
may be carried out in collaboration with nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations that partner with institutions of higher education, and other experts and stakeholders in the field of campus mental health and suicide prevention.
(b)
Reports
The Secretary shall report to the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate on the efforts of the Secretary carried out under this section—
(1)
not later than one year after the date of enactment of the  Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act ; and
(2)
three years after the date of enactment of such Act.
(c)
Construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating new statutory requirements for institutions of higher education or granting the Secretary new regulatory authority.
 .