Rep. Cleaver Reintroduces Legislation to Combat Youth Suicide During National Mental Health Awareness Month

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, issued the following news release on May 25, 2023:

This week, during National Mental Health Awareness Month, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) reintroduced the Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act to combat youth suicide in schools across the country. Named in honor of Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas, two students from the Kansas City region who tragically fell victim to suicide, the bipartisan bill would provide schools, teachers, administrators, and students nationwide with evidence-informed suicide prevention strategies, trainings, and tools to assist at-risk youth who are struggling with their mental health.

"Four out of every five teens who attempt suicide give clear warning sings beforehand, but not enough Americans know the signs to look for when it comes to children who are at-risk. We simply must do more as a nation to identify children who are struggling with their mental health and provide them the support they need," said Congressman Cleaver. "We all have a role to play in addressing this growing crisis--and the first step is ensuring that everyone is equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to act if they know someone is in crisis. In memory of Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas, who were taken from our community far too soon, I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to ensure students can get the support they need, and schools have the resources to keep our kids safe and heathy."

"Our first priority is to make sure our kids are OK, and unfortunately, many are not; they're facing unprecedented levels of trauma and anxiety, and tragically, more and more are taking their own lives. As educators, school staff, counselors and nurses, we often work directly with parents and caregivers when a child is struggling, and as trusted figures in our students' lives, we must have the tools to help them when they come to us. Creating safe and welcoming school environments where students feel nurtured and supported is a critical piece of meeting their social and emotional needs and treating mental health issues before they become crises. Rep. Cleaver's efforts to create a grant program that would ensure educators and school staff have the tools and training they need to step in when they notice a student struggling will go a long way in helping us care for the whole child, so they are ready to learn and do well in the world," said Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers President.

"Suicide continues to be the second leading cause of death for young people in the U.S. At least 80 percent of students show warning signs before attempting suicide -- this means these tragedies are preventable. The Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act will help ensure that students know the signs of suicide and how to get help for themselves or others," said Mark Barden co-founder and CEO of the Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund and father of Daniel who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. "This legislation will empower youth, teachers, and school staff to help save young lives."

"Suicide is among the leading causes of death for children and young adults ages 10-24. AFSP is proud to support the Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Protection Act to promote students' mental health and help prevent suicides," said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. "This bill will provide schools, teachers, and students with more mental health resources to support training, dispel stigmas, and help save lives. It will also ensure that school personnel have tools to respond quickly and efficiently when their students need help. AFSP applauds Rep. Cleaver on introducing this critical legislation, and urges swift passage this year."

"As an organization dedicated to the development and well-being of our students, NASSP is proud to support the Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act," said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. "Our most recent national survey found that 74% of students needed help with their mental or emotional health in the past year, and this bill responds to that urgent need to equip our schools with the tools to identify and support those struggling with mental health issues. There is no higher priority for school leaders than the safety and wellbeing of students, and we commend Representative Cleaver and all the members of Congress who are championing this legislation."

"The most important responsibility of parents, families, and communities, in partnership with child and family serving systems, is to prevent child abuse and maltreatment. When children must be separated from their families due to abuse, neglect, or parental incapacity, we must protect children and strengthen families to facilitate a fast and safe return. We must also ensure that children remain connected to their birth families if possible or with kinship, adoptive, or foster families so that they can benefit from lifelong connections," said Christine James-Brown, President and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America. "CWLA is pleased to endorse the Foster Youth Bill of Rights Resolution and applauds Representative Cleaver in this effort to ensure that families, individuals, communities, organizations, and systems protect children from abuse and neglect, and provide an array of supports and services that help children, youth, and their families to accomplish developmental tasks, develop protective factors, and strengthen coping strategies."

According to the Jason Foundation, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 10 and 24, and each day, there are an average of over 3,703 suicide attempts by young people grades 9-12. According to the same data, roughly 18.8% of high school students have seriously contemplated suicide, and four out of five individuals considering suicide give some sign of their intentions, either verbally or behaviorally.

The Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act would recognize the severity of youth suicide and authorize Garret Lee Smith grants to be used for training school personnel in elementary and secondary schools, as well as students in secondary schools, in youth suicide awareness and prevention tools.

Specifically, the Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act would amend the Public Health Service Act to:

* Authorize funding to states to be used for emotional well-being, mental health, and suicide awareness and prevention training for all school personnel, including auxiliary staff in elementary and secondary schools;

* Authorize funding to states for training secondary school students to help equip them with the tools they need for awareness of the warning signs and proper resources to report signs to the appropriate staff;

* Allocate no less than 15 percent of grants to be used specifically for training, with an emphasis on cultural competency each school year in elementary and secondary schools; and

* Increase annual funding to $48 million to cover the costs of training.

The Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act is cosponsored by Nanette Barragan (D-CA), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Shontel Brown (D-OH), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Troy Carter (D-LA), Sean Casten (D-WI), Judy Chu (D-CA), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Don Davis (D-NC), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Mark Takano (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) Susan Wild (D-PA), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

The Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), Sandy Hook Promise, and National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Official text of the Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act is available here (https://cleaver.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/cleaver.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/cady-housh-and-gemesha-thomas-student-suicide-prevention-act-118th.pdf).

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Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

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Original text here: https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-reintroduces-legislation-combat-youth-suicide-during