Suicide Prevention Assistance Act | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 2044Health

Suicide Prevention Assistance Act

INTRO MAR 11· LAST ACTION MAR 11

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Introduced

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Reported

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Passed Senate

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To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

This bill matters because it tries to address the serious issues of suicide and self-harm by integrating prevention services into places where many people already go: their primary care doctor's office. Many individuals may not actively seek out mental health services due to stigma, cost, or simply not knowing where to start, but they do visit their primary care physician regularly.

If this bill becomes law, it could make it easier for people to get help early and directly, potentially saving lives, by embedding mental health support into routine medical care. If it doesn't pass, these specific grant-funded prevention services would not be available in primary care offices, meaning fewer opportunities for early detection and intervention in those everyday settings.

KEY PROVISIONS

5AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Establishes a federal grant program for primary care offices to offer self-harm and suicide prevention services.

This provision is significant because it creates a funding mechanism to integrate mental health screening and short-term support into routine medical settings.

PROVISION 02

Requires grant-receiving offices to hire one or more clinical social workers to provide services and make referrals.

This provision is significant because it ensures that specialized mental health professionals are directly integrated into primary care teams to deliver care.

PROVISION 03

Mandates that primary care physicians screen patients for self-harm and suicide and refer at-risk patients to social workers for short-term services and long-term referrals.

This provision is significant because it establishes a clear process for early identification and intervention for individuals at risk.

PROVISION 04

Limits the grant program to a maximum of 10 grants nationwide, one per office, and one per state, with each grant capped at $500,000 for a 2-year period.

This provision is significant because it outlines the scale and funding limits of the program, indicating a targeted rather than widespread implementation.

PROVISION 05

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop standards of practice for patient screening within 180 days of the bill's enactment.

This provision is significant because it ensures a consistent and evidence-based approach to identifying individuals at risk across participating primary care offices.

SPONSORSHIP

1 + 0

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

MAR 11

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

MAR 11

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

HOUSE · INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 2044

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedMar 11, 2025

Last actionMar 11, 2025

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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED MAR 11, 2025

House BillHR 2044Health

Suicide Prevention Assistance Act

INTRODUCED MAR 11, 2025· LAST ACTION MAR 11, 2025

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

5 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Establishes a federal grant program for primary care offices to offer self-harm and suicide prevention services.

This provision is significant because it creates a funding mechanism to integrate mental health screening and short-term support into routine medical settings.

high

Requires grant-receiving offices to hire one or more clinical social workers to provide services and make referrals.

This provision is significant because it ensures that specialized mental health professionals are directly integrated into primary care teams to deliver care.

high

Mandates that primary care physicians screen patients for self-harm and suicide and refer at-risk patients to social workers for short-term services and long-term referrals.

This provision is significant because it establishes a clear process for early identification and intervention for individuals at risk.

med

Limits the grant program to a maximum of 10 grants nationwide, one per office, and one per state, with each grant capped at $500,000 for a 2-year period.

This provision is significant because it outlines the scale and funding limits of the program, indicating a targeted rather than widespread implementation.

med

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop standards of practice for patient screening within 180 days of the bill's enactment.

This provision is significant because it ensures a consistent and evidence-based approach to identifying individuals at risk across participating primary care offices.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section

Secretary to develop standards of practice for screening patients for self-harm and suicide.

Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section

Secretary to submit an initial report on the grant program to Congress and specified Department of Health and Human Services subcomponents.

Biennially thereafter

Secretary to submit subsequent reports on the grant program to Congress and specified Department of Health and Human Services subcomponents.

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Primary Care Office: A healthcare facility that provides general medical services, typically a doctor's office where people receive their routine health check-ups and basic medical care.
Clinical Social Worker: A healthcare professional with specialized training to help people cope with mental health issues, emotional problems, and social challenges, often through counseling and connecting them to resources.
Grant Program: A system where the government provides money to organizations (like primary care offices) for specific purposes, usually with certain conditions and requirements for how the money is spent and reported.
Self-Harm: Intentional injury to oneself, often as a way to cope with intense emotional pain rather than an attempt to end one's life.
Suicide Prevention Services: Support, counseling, and interventions aimed at reducing the risk of a person taking their own life and helping them find healthier ways to cope with distress.
Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS): The head of the U.S. government department responsible for public health and social services, overseeing agencies like the CDC and NIH.
Public Health Service Act

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

MAR 11, 25

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

MAR 11, 25

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

INTROREFERRAL

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Suicide Prevention Assistance Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

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