Supporting the Passage of the Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act and the Campus Prevention and Recovery for Students Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of legislation to address the mental health and substance use needs of our college students. Our Nation continues to struggle with adequately meeting these needs, resulting in devastating consequences for too many of our constituents.

Milwaukee has long been a magnet for higher education. Students from across the globe enter our city to attend any of our twelve colleges and universities. When students enroll, we must offer them the support they need to attend and successfully complete their education. This includes those who need additional physical health, mental health, and substance misuse services during this exciting yet trying time of life.

We know the need for mental health and substance misuse services is increasing in our communities. It is critical that we take steps to protect the mental health of all Americans, especially our college students. Across the country, young adults struggling with mental health and addiction lack access to the quality, on-campus treatment they desperately need. With an average of 1,100 suicides on campuses each year, suicide is currently the number two leading cause of death among college students.

Today, I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting the passage of H.R. 5407, the Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act, and H.R. 6493, the Campus Prevention and Recovery for Students Act. These bills will fund programs that better support students on our college campuses.

The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act would authorize federal support to encourage campuses to establish comprehensive, evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention programs that meet their student populations' diverse and urgent needs.

Such plans would consider existing Federal and State efforts to address mental health and suicide prevention at higher education institutions. They must also align with existing federal and state programs, including those authorized under the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act.

The Campus Prevention and Recovery for Students Act would mandate all college campuses receiving federal funding or participating in the federal student loan program to have in place evidence-based programs and policies that prevent alcohol and substance misuse by students and school employees.

The legislation would also increase authorized funding (to $15 million annually) for federal grants, allowing institutions of higher education to implement and support evidence-based programs (including programs to improve access to treatment, referral for treatment services, or crisis intervention services) that eliminate illegal substance use, decrease substance misuse, and improve public health and safety for students. Universities may utilize these funds for a range of new activities, including recovery support services, peer-to-peer counseling, and integration of campus-based health services that coordinate screening, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental, behavioral, and substance use disorders.

Our students are struggling. In my home state of Wisconsin, opioid misuse outnumbered national trends by half a percent. According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 3.5 percent of Wisconsin youth admit to misusing opioids. Implementing the measures outlined in these bills will help our schools and educators provide much-needed support to millions of college students throughout the country, including an estimated 68,000 in the Milwaukee area.

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