Campus Lifeline Act of 2026

Key Points

• The bill supports student-led groups on campus, including athletic teams and mental health clubs, to educate peers about mental health, reduce stigma, and help recognize warning signs of mental health and substance use disorders.
• States and colleges would be encouraged to print the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number on newly issued student identification cards, putting the crisis number directly in students' hands.
• The government would be required to run a national awareness campaign about the 988 hotline, involving multiple federal agencies including the Departments of Education and Transportation.
• The bill is bipartisan, introduced by Reps. Houchin, Trahan, Valadao, and Pocan, and amends the existing Public Health Service Act rather than creating an entirely new program.