Suicide Prevention Act

This bill aims to prevent suicide by improving how communities track self-harm and by strengthening help for patients in hospital emergency departments. It funds state, local, Tribal, and territorial health departments to track and share real-time data on self-harm and suicide with the CDC, so communities can spot problems quickly and respond faster. Privacy laws still apply. The data must be detailed enough to tell the difference between suicidal thoughts, nonfatal self-harm, and other related cases. Priority goes to areas with higher-than-average self-harm rates and to rural and underserved communities. The federal government will also help share data through existing public health systems and provide technical support. A report to Congress is due in about three years, and funding is authorized at $30 million per year from 2026 through 2030 for this tracking program .

The bill also creates a grant program for hospital emergency departments to screen patients for suicide risk, offer short-term help, make referrals for longer-term care, and follow up after discharge. Funds can be used to hire and train social workers and mental health staff. Grants last three years and can be renewed. The federal government must set clear screening standards within 180 days, hospitals must report results quarterly, and a federal report to Congress begins two years after enactment. This program is funded at $30 million per year from 2026 through 2030.

Key points

• Who is affected: State, local, Tribal, and territorial health departments; hospital emergency departments; patients at risk of self-harm or suicide .
• What changes: More real-time tracking and sharing of self-harm data; targeted funding and standards to improve ER screening, short-term support, referrals, and follow-up care; focus on high-need and rural areas; privacy protections remain in place .
• When: Data standards and hospital screening standards within 180 days; hospital program reports start at 2 years; tracking program report at 3 years; funding runs 2026–2030 .