Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act
The Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act would require higher education institutions to place suicide prevention resources on student identification cards (or, if the institution does not issue IDs, to publish them on the institution’s website). Specifically, for any student ID created after enactment, cards must include contact information for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Crisis Text Line, and the institution’s own campus mental health center or program. If one of these organizations ceases to exist, the Secretary of Education may designate a similar entity to include. The requirement would take effect one year after enactment. In short, the bill aims to make it easier for students to access immediate mental health support by embedding or listing crisis resources where students commonly look first for help.
Key Points
- 1Applies to higher education institutions and their student identification cards; if an institution issues IDs after enactment, it must include suicide prevention contacts on those cards.
- 2Required resources on IDs: (i) 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, (ii) Crisis Text Line, (iii) the institution’s campus mental health center or program (as determined by the institution).
- 3If an institution does not issue physical IDs after enactment, it must publish the suicide prevention contact information on its website.
- 4If 988 or Crisis Text Line ceases to exist, the Secretary may designate a comparable entity to be included on the identification card.
- 5Effective date: the amendment becomes effective one year after enactment.