On October 21, 2004 President Bush signed the nation’s first youth suicide prevention bill into law. Named in memory of Senator Gordon Smith’s (R-OR) son who died by suicide, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act recognizes that youth suicide is a public health crisis linked to underlying mental health problems. It authorizes $82 million over three years for youth suicide prevention programs including voluntary, confidential, screening programs like TeenScreen. This legislation provides grants to states, American Indian Tribes, and colleges to support suicide prevention efforts and initiatives. 

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is tasked with implementing the law, and will award grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to:

1. Develop and implement State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies in schools, educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance abuse programs, mental health programs, foster care systems, and other child and youth support organizations.
2. Support public organizations and private nonprofit organizations actively involved in State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies and in the development and continuation of State-sponsored statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies.
3. Provide grants to institutions of higher education to coordinate the implementation of State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies.
4. Collect and analyze data on State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention services that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of such services and for research, technical assistance, and policy development.

It is noteworthy that the law gives preference to youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies that “provide early intervention and assessment services, including screening programs, to youth who are at risk for mental or emotional disorders that may lead to a suicide attempt…”

The TeenScreen National Center is grateful to Senator Smith for his steadfast dedication to initiating the federal dialogue regarding youth mental health as well as for his vocal leadership in the battle to destigmatize mental illness.