Campus Lifeline Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8657
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-04: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-21T18:45:38Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Campus Lifeline Act of 2026 (H.R. 8657) aims to strengthen youth suicide prevention and intervention programs by amending the Public Health Service Act. It focuses on supporting student-led efforts on college campuses and increasing awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (a national hotline for mental health crises).
Key Provisions
- Student-Led Campus Interventions (amends Section 520E-2(b)(10)):
- Funds and supports campus student groups, such as athletic teams and mental health clubs.
- Activities include educating peers to reduce stigma around mental and behavioral health disorders, promoting mental health, and helping students recognize and respond to warning signs of mental health or substance use issues in peers.
- 988 Youth Awareness Strategies (amends Section 520E-3):
- Expands public awareness efforts for the 988 hotline, including ongoing outreach.
- Requires coordination with states and colleges to print the 988 number on newly issued student ID cards.
- Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve hotline awareness, incorporate it into grant requirements for crisis centers, and develop a plan consulting with the Secretaries of Education and Transportation, plus other relevant agencies.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Section 520E-2(b)(10): Replaces prior language to explicitly prioritize student groups for education, stigma reduction, and peer intervention.
- Section 520E-3:
- Subsection (b)(4): Shifts from general awareness to specific initiatives like outreach and ID card listings.
- Subsection (c): Adds awareness improvement to grant purposes, evaluation criteria, and crisis center requirements; introduces mandatory inter-agency consultation for awareness planning.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS gains new duties for coordination and planning; Departments of Education and Transportation must collaborate on youth outreach.
- Citizens: Improves access to mental health support for college students via peer networks and visible hotline promotion on IDs, potentially reducing youth suicide rates.
- Institutions: Colleges and states face encouragement (not mandates) to update ID cards, with possible grant incentives.
- No direct international relations impacts.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- College students and youth: Primary beneficiaries through peer support and easier crisis access.
- Educational institutions: Campuses (especially higher education) supported for student-led programs and ID updates.
- State governments: Involved in 988 promotion and coordination.
- Federal agencies: HHS (lead), Education, and Transportation.
- Mental health organizations: Crisis centers and hotlines benefit from expanded funding and awareness.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Builds on existing Public Health Service Act programs without creating new mandates; uses grants and consultations for implementation, avoiding direct regulatory burdens.
- Constitutional: No apparent issues; aligns with federal spending power for public health.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (introduced by Reps. Houchin, Trahan, Valadao, Pocan); emphasizes non-controversial youth mental health focus, potentially increasing campus mental health resources amid rising suicide concerns.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3], Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-04: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2026-05-04: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-04: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Campus Lifeline Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-04 — PDF (3 pages)