Suicide Prevention

Congress should pass the Barriers to Suicide Act, which directs the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a program to facilitate the installation of evidence-based suicide deterrents and establishes a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study to explore what types of structures attract suicide attempts.[1][2]

The new National Strategy for Suicide Prevention should include quantitative outcomes goals against which progress can be measured and which can inspire public-private coordination to prevent suicide and hold systems accountable for demonstrable progress.

The Executive Branch should continue to fight anti-LGBTQ+ laws enacted at the state or local level that violate federal law or the U.S. Constitution and harm LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly youth.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) should work with states to standardize procedures and reporting of drug-related and suicide deaths.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) should update and expand the Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center and Best Practices Registry, respectively, to highlight effective strategies for fatal and non-fatal suicide-related events.[1]

Congress should appropriate additional funding to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) to fund additional research on Black youth mental health and suicide.[1]