Citing suicide as the third leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 10 and 24, Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) created a bill aimed at fighting it.
The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act is named after Smith's son, who committed suicide as a college student last year. More than 4,000 young people take their own lives each year, according to the Center for Disease Control.
The main goal of the bill, which was introduced in March and has since passed both houses of Congress, is to provide schools, educational institutions, mental health programs, juvenile detention centers, substance abuse programs and foster care programs with appropriate funds to battle youth suicide.
The funds designated for colleges would provide funds to create and improve suicide intervention programs. Colleges can apply for grants to help to build more counseling centers, psychology training clinics and hire experienced counselors.
The bill authorizes $82 million over the next three years to be used for suicide prevention.
Grant money would also be used to create suicide prevention resource centers to learn more about suicide tendencies and how to help students who are in danger.
In July, the Senate passed the bill unanimously. The House debated it last Thursday, and it passed 352-64.
However, some congressmen were concerned that the bill would ultimately do more damage than good. They thought talking about suicide will ultimately lead to more suicides.
During debate in the House, Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.), said, "Federal money usually has strings attached to it. We do not know enough about how the grants will be distributed to know what these strings will be, but this legislation is just one more way that the government is encroaching on the lives and health care of private citizens and the parental role.
"Suicide prevention is best done through private counseling, faith-based groups and within the nucleus of the family unit," Garrett continued.
During the next two weeks, President Bush will either sign or veto the bill. If he approves it, the bill will be effective immediately.
AU freshman Tara Shlimowitz agrees with the majority of Congress.
"Colleges need to promote awareness of suicide - how often it happens and the reasons why it happens in order to prevent college suicide," she said.
For more information, visit http://thomas.loc.gov and search for Bill # S2634
