Sponsors (3)
The bill improves visibility and affordability of 988 crisis resources in schools and communities—likely increasing help-seeking—while imposing modest costs and privacy questions for districts and risking strain on lifeline capacity unless services are scaled up.
Students and school communities will have clearer, more visible access to 988 crisis services because schools must display standardized signage in high-visibility indoor and digital locations that states 988 is free, confidential, and available 24/7, lowering barriers to seeking help.
Schools and districts will receive federal support to update and post required signage and participate in a public awareness effort, reducing local cost and administrative burden for implementation.
A coordinated public awareness campaign and outreach can increase community-wide awareness of youth suicide prevention resources beyond campuses, potentially reaching parents, families, and other youth-serving organizations.
If 988 capacity is not expanded to match increased awareness and contacts, more students and other callers could face longer wait times or reduced access to crisis support.
Schools will incur modest administrative costs and staff time to post, replace, and maintain signage in multiple locations, which imposes a resource burden on districts.
Mandating signage in student restrooms and locker rooms may raise privacy or implementation concerns for some students, families, and districts about appropriate placement and maintenance.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires a federal youth suicide-prevention awareness campaign and mandates standardized 988 signage in specified indoor and digital school locations.
Official title: To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act to provide for a public awareness campaign for schools regarding youth suicide prevention resources, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 21, 2026 by Troy Carter · Last progress May 21, 2026
Requires the federal government to run a public awareness campaign about youth suicide prevention and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and directs support to schools to update signage. Sets mandatory content and many specific indoor and digital locations where 988 signage must be posted in K–12 school buildings and online school bulletin boards. Specifies the exact language elements the signs must include (988 number; call/text/chat instructions; encouragement to seek help; statement that 988 is free, confidential, and available 24/7) and makes conforming edits to the Public Health Service Act.