Congressman Carter Introduces Legislation to Provide Mental Health Resources to Middle and High School Students

RAYS Act Mandates 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and Local Suicide Prevention Hotlines be Published on Student IDs and School Websites

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Reps. Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA), Alma Adams (D-NC), and James Moylan (R-Guam) introduced the bipartisan Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide (RAYS) Prevention Act. This bill requires middle and high schools to include mental health and suicide prevention information on student identification cards and school websites.

"Too many young people are struggling with their mental health in silence, and too often help feels out of reach in a moment of crisis. My bill is a simple, commonsense step to ensure every student knows exactly where to turn for help, by putting life-saving mental health and suicide prevention resources directly on student ID cards and official school platforms. If this bill helps even one young person pause, reach out, and get the support they need, then it will have done its job."

This legislation would require secondary education institutions to provide contact information for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and a State or local suicide prevention hotline selected by the school, if available, on the back of all Student ID cards. If a school cannot meet this requirement, because it does not distribute physical student ID cards, cost is a barrier, or some other administrative burden, they will be required to publish the information on a publicly accessible website of the school.

The bill is endorsed by JJs Hello Foundation, Youth Villages, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, QPR Institute, Sources of Strength, The NAN Project, Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado, American Counseling Association, Active Minds, Suicide Prevention Alliance, Our Turn, SAFE Project, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, The Jed Foundation, Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide, Clinical Social Work Association, LifeAct, Youth Villages, School Social Work Association of America, South Asian Mental Health Initiative and Network (SAMHIN), Active Minds, Children's National Hospital, AUCCCD, Northern Virginia Mental Health Foundation, National Association of School Psychologists, Save the Children, Association for Mental Health & Wellness, Inseparable, American Medical Women's Association, Half a Sorrow Foundation, Center for Health and Learning, Jay Walkers, ACT NOW! for Mental Health, Center for Health and Learning, National Board Certified Counselors, Western Youth Services, Association of Children's Residential & Community Services (ACRC), The NAN Project, The Grace Loncar Foundation, Behavioral Health Foundation, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT).

"Active Minds applauds Representatives Carter, Adams, Mackenzie, and Moylan for their bipartisan leadership in introducing the Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention Act," said Anika Rahman, Director of Policy at Active Minds. "For more than two decades, Active Minds has worked to equip young people with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to speak openly about mental health and seek help for themselves and their peers. As part of that commitment, we have long championed including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on student ID cards, and are proud to see that approach advanced in this legislation. By putting 988 directly in students' hands, the bill removes barriers to support and ensures help is always within reach, advancing our mission to make mental health resources accessible. We're grateful to see Congress move forward with a practical, bipartisan, and student-centered solution to the youth mental health crisis."

"Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 24, and far too many middle and high school students struggle with their mental health without knowing where to turn for help," said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. "We commend Representatives Carter, Mackenzie, Adams, and Moylan for introducing the RAYS Act, a simple, clear and effective step to ensure students have life-saving suicide prevention information readily available, including resources like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the Crisis Text Line. By requiring this information on student ID cards and school websites, this legislation helps reduce stigma, promotes help-seeking, and makes support easier to access when students need it most. AFSP is proud to support this bipartisan legislation and urges Congress to act swiftly to pass it."

"SEAT is honored and grateful to be working with Congressman Carter and Representatives Mackenzie, Moylan, and Adams on this life-saving legislation," said said Ayaan Moledina, a high school junior and Federal Policy Director for Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT). "This is a youth-written bill developed by students based on their lived experiences with suicidal ideation and lack of access to resources. By enacting this cost-neutral, easy to implement, and simple method of raising awareness about the 988 Lifeline, we are not only providing access to this resource, but we are providing a beacon of hope to students in need and de-stigmatizing mental health conversations in educational institutions. As someone who has struggled for so many years, this bill is personal to me and it has been an incredibly humbling journey turning this idea that I had as an 8th grader turn into a bill in the United States Congress, which will hopefully help save the lives of my peers and those who have struggled just like me. I am grateful for the bipartisan support in both chambers and I urge all members to prioritize addressing this crisis as youth suicide rates continue to rise and students continue to struggle everyday. The time to act is now and this is a crucial step in ensuring no more children die an unnecessary and preventable death."

"Too many young people struggle in silence, unsure of where to turn in a moment of crisis," said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). "Early awareness and easy access to suicide prevention and mental health resources can save lives. The Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention (RAYS) Act would ensure students have immediate access to lifesaving crisis resources on their IDs. NAMI is proud to support this legislation and thank Rep. Carter for prioritizing youth mental health and suicide prevention."

Read the full bill text here.

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