Bilirakis and Peters Score a Legislative Win to Prevent Student Suicide

Bilirakis and Peters Score a Legislative Win to Prevent Student Suicide

-The STANDUP Act provides students and schools with evidence-based suicide and threat assessment training and the Emergency Room Department -

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The bipartisan Suicide and Threat Assessment Nationally Dedicated to Universal Prevention (STANDUP) Act authored by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) and Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) passed the House of Representatives earlier today. This vital bill encourages schools to implement evidence-based suicide prevention training for students in grades 6 through 12. The bill was introduced just days after devastating accounts of a rise in student suicides within a Nevada school district swept the nation.

"There is no higher priority than keeping our children safe. By providing high quality screening and prevention training to school staff and peers, we can identify threats before they materialize, and ensure that those who are at risk get the mental health treatment they need, said Bilirakis. I've seen first-hand how effective these programs can be when I visited a high school in Pinellas which has already implemented these best practices. Sadly, some communities in my district are among those with the highest suicide rates in our state, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem. With training like this, we can help reverse that troubling trend.It is very fitting that this bill passed the House during Mental Health Awareness Month, and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to expedite its final passage in recognition of the urgent need that exists throughout the country. "

This legislation is one of three Bilirakis-authored bills to pass the House today, and the fourth Bilirakis bill to pass the House this Congress.

"By passing the STANDUP Act this Mental Health Awareness Month, we've taken action to strengthen the health and safety of our youth," said Rep. Peters. "COVID-19 has taken an enormous toll on the mental well-being of young people. A return to the classroom means that we must prepare schools to meet their students' growing mental health needs. The STANDUP Act takes a proactive, evidence-based approach by equipping students and educators with the skills they need to identify, intervene, and get help for those at risk of harming themselves or others." said Rep. Peters.

While studies are ongoing, new reports indicate that COVID-19 has exacerbated children's and teens' anxiety, depression and isolation – stressors commonly associated with suicide. Mental Health America recently identified that those 11 through 17 years old are now at higher risk of anxiety and depression. Their summer youth screening revealed a 14 percent increase in youth anxiety and a 10 percent increase in youth depression since their previous report. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released 2020 data showing a 31 percent increase in mental health-related hospital visits in children aged 12-17 years compared to previous years.

The STANDUP Act of 2021 requires states, schools and Tribes to implement proven policies to prevent suicides in order to receive Project AWARE grants, which promote youth mental health awareness among schools and communities. These policies are vital in stopping school violence by encouraging early prevention, teaching warning signs and giving students, teachers, and administrators the tools they need to react properly to threats before tragedy occurs.

Over 50 national organizations support the STANDUP Act, including Sandy Hook Promise, a national nonprofit founded by family members who lost loved ones in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012. "I can't think of a better way to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month than the House of Representatives voting to expand access to evidence-based suicide prevention programs for young people. It's more important than ever to prioritize this kind of training," said Mark Barden, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. "We are deeply grateful to the bipartisan sponsors of the STANDUP Act—Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA— who championed this life-saving legislation."