With mental health advocacy rising and declining suicide rates to match, a bill that promises to save lives at students’ fingertips is taking shape in a nationwide campaign for youth wellness.
The Campus Lifeline Act was introduced to Congress on May 4 as a measurable response to the second-leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 34, tackling suicide with a two-pronged approach as cost-efficient as it is youth-led.
Authored by Active Minds, the nation’s largest nonprofit mobilizing youth to transform mental health norms, the bill aims to reimagine a system where psychiatric and emotional resilience is the standard for all, and the hope is to turn ideation into law as soon as next year.
“It sets a precedent to have mental health be a normalized conversation in schools, whether it be college campuses or K-12,” said Rohan Satija, a youth mental health activist and supporter of the legislation. “We’ve built a mental health system that’s mostly reactive and not proactive. We wait for young people to reach a crisis point and then we intervene. This [shows] that mental health is a conversation that should be had, and we should be coming forward and sharing our stories as youth.”
If passed, the Campus Lifeline Act has two core priorities. First, federally mandates that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline be visible on the back of student IDs across all public institutions nationwide. The other component expands the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Program (GLS), the only federal program dedicated to mental and behavioral health for college students, to allow grantees to fund student-led early intervention and outreach efforts.
Notably, the congressional bill stands apart from the legislation introduced in 2022, which designated 988 as the new three-digit code — formerly 10 — for a nationwide suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline, but left implementation protocol up to the states.
“That can honestly be the matter between life and death,” Satija told The Informer. “It’s such a simple fix, but it’s so powerful because it shows students every single day… that they have a list of resources for them to use at any time, and when they’re in a crisis, they don’t have to take on the added responsibility of searching for a lifeline online.”
Anika Rahman, director of policy at Active Minds, says the demand is not just about expanding self-help resources.
“It’s more like expanding what is possible,” she continued. “When we rely on a couple of tools, it’s relying on a few leaders to spread the word and be the main messenger in their community versus the legislation and law. When it’s passed, a larger population is impacted by and benefits from it versus just certain schools and silos.”
That vision rang throughout the nation’s capital on July 16, as hundreds of youth and young adult mental health advocates gathered on Capitol Hill in Northwest for the inaugural National Hill Day, and later at Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key for the 2026 Active Minds Mental Health Conference.
Featuring federal advocacy, shared lived experiences, and even one-on-ones with congressional representatives, Varsha Penumalee, 20, said the day of action showed how youth empowerment and long-term wellness collide, and the benefit is a community empowered to create the health system they see fit.
“This is a gap that I want to see changed. Regardless of where you live or where you come from, you deserve access to life-saving care,” Penumalee told The Informer. “One thing that we noted in Active Minds is that the states that have this legislation already passed and have a higher volume of calls to 988 actually have an even greater decrease in suicide rates. The idea is ultimately that we’re saving young people, which to me is a very obvious goal.”
988: Creating Healthier Spaces for Students
What started as a student-led call in Ohio over a decade ago has since transformed into a national push for enhanced mental health visibility, according to the bill of honor at the inaugural National Hill Day.
“You cannot have national change unless you have people with lived experience who can speak to why these policies actually matter, and I think that’s what Hill Day was really about,” Penumalee said, “providing that platform for people from all of these different smaller groups, whether they have that access or [not], to share why these policies and these national changes really matter.”
Since its introduction in 2022, the impact of 988 looks like more than 15 million calls, 4 million chats, and 3 million texts; an average call volume increase of 95% nationally within the first two years of development; and an 11% decline in suicide rates among 15- to 34-year-olds, according to a recent study published in JAMA, which represents 4,372 lives saved.
Meanwhile, the concept of the 988 Lifeline on student IDs originally started in 2012 with two scholars in the Active Minds chapter at the University of Dayton, driving a cause that has since expanded to several schools across the nation— including in Texas, Virginia, and, as of January 2026, Louisiana, among others— and is now taking on federal attention.
“I would like to believe the generational impact is when you have healthy and more mindful youth and young adults,” Rahman said, speaking to the benefit of the act at large. “They end up becoming leaders, they end up becoming parents, and they end up being in this workforce that is aware of not their own mental health, but aware of others in their community and their society.”
With the bill in the final throes of developing Senate language, some of the bipartisan leadership backing the Campus Lifeline Act are Sens. David McCormick (R-Pa.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and House Reps. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.).
Texas House Reps. Michael T. McCaul (R), Sylvia Garcia (D) and Marc A. Veasey (D) joined Rep. Dale Strong (R-Ala.) and Alabama Republican Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville in delivering positive feedback during congressional meetings with youth leaders–– including Satija and Penumalee– on July 16.
Despite its success and support, when it comes to widespread recognition of the crisis lifeline, there’s still much work to be done.
Research shows that, as of 2024, only 5% of young adults were aware of 988, compared to 15% of all adults. At the same time, 50% of young adults with recurrent suicidal ideation or attempts will not seek help for themselves.
For Rahman, the inaugural National Hill Day was as much a nod to the future as a reflection of the power brewing right on the grounds of D.C. and beyond.
“If there’s a solution you see in your community, it doesn’t have to be what Active Minds is doing on a national level; whatever solution [you] see, find that…see if [you] have a role, and that is a way to improve community,” she explained. “I think that’s what was so empowering for the youth and young adults to go on the Hill, to remind themselves that these [Congressional representatives] are there to serve them, and they can shape [decisions].”
The policy director also emphasized the need to engage across the intersections of structural inequity, including through some of Active Minds’ own year-round programming. She pointed to a series of upcoming policy webinars that center priority issues for youth and young adults — from examining the relationships between mental health and artificial intelligence (AI) to wellness and food insecurity.
“Educating and encouraging and destigmatizing is making a safe space for others to share about their mental health, and ultimately, creating a healthier space,” she continued. “It’s also engaging with your elected officials so they’re aware of what’s happening in the community…of what resources already exist.”
From Diverse Books to Culturally Competent Care: Prioritizing Self-Care for Long-Term Well-Being
Tackling accessibility and exposure is a critical piece of the puzzle, Penumalee said, but so is acknowledging the weight of cultural stigmas on the communities who often lack restorative healing the most.
Growing up an Indian American, Penumalee confronted the realities of an upbringing that leaves many children of color without “the language to describe” their mental struggles, be it fear of invalidation or ostracization, or simply the taboo nature of feeding into Westernized advancements.
Thus, she considers it a responsibility of youth not only to learn with cultural competence in mind, but then, “be the change you want to see in the world.”
“Just because you are taught a specific framework, you can be the change that you want to see in the discussions that are existing around you,” said the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) graduate, “in any space that you’re working with, when you see a gap, you have the power to fill it in.”
Coupled with continued attacks on cultural narratives, Satija said more people oughta utilize resources like Active Minds and National Hill Day, both of which work to strengthen institutions that can combat some of what’s at stake for the next generation.
“We’re honestly defunding the exact tools that build emotional resilience in young people,” he explained. “When school budgets get cut, when book bans happen, [when] a lot of arts programs and [literature are] the first to go…there’s a false narrative of how it’s protecting children, but in reality it’s narrowing the worlds of the kids who would benefit from that. I’ve seen that having access to the right book at the right time can be life-changing.”
Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, Satija’s family immigrated to the United States in 2011, marking new territory for the then-5-year-old attempting to navigate a brand new environment, “surrounded by a completely new group of people.”
Instead, much of his childhood was chalked up to bullying and isolation at school, while struggling with anxiety and panic attacks as a result. That was until, somewhere around sixth grade, the Texas resident found comfort –– and entrepreneurial drive –– in books and storytelling, particularly with diverse characters.
“It builds resilience, reduces shame, and it also tells a young person that their story, their background, their experiences are worth telling,” Satija emphasized.
He particularly referenced the GOP-led efforts that resulted in the banning of hundreds of books in 2025, with a vast majority authored by or inclusive of marginalized voices.
“So much of what youth learn from, especially since childhood, isn’t just based on school. When you’re reading something, and you see yourself reflected in what you read…when a character who survives something that you’re also going through can name their struggle and [win],” he continued, “that can be the first moment that so many youth realize they’re not alone in what they’re feeling.”
In response to the prevalence of book deserts in Texas, Satija took the reins on co-launching Let’s Learn with his younger sister in the sixth grade. Since 2018, the duo has championed youth literacy, diversity initiatives, and mental wellness on a broad scale, including donating more than 75,000 books, 100,000 school supplies, and 5,000 mental health kits –– developed in collaboration with Active Minds –– to more than 13,000 underserved low-income students.
In a counter to attacks on the arts, the entrepreneur also introduced Vibrant Voices in 2023, offering struggling youth a creative outlook to write, understand and evolve their own stories, all the while reducing mental health stigma and fostering healing self-expression.
“The arts create that permission in a way that a therapy referral or a hotline number can’t,” he said, citing studies of decreased depression and anxiety among youth who see themselves represented in art and literature. “Expressive arts, reading, creative outlets, a lot of them are more than just enrichment activities––they’re how youth develop emotional vocabulary, and they help prevent mental health struggles later on.”
The University of Austin sophomore took it a step further to unmask where that power starts within.
“One of my favorite quotes is: ‘Self-care is community care.’ If you’re an advocate, and you’re trying to improve your community, that can’t come if you’re not continuously working on… improving yourself as a person first,” Satija explained. “It’s also so important to have support systems in place — whether it be your family, friends, or whether you’re expressing yourself creatively through a hobby.”
Similarly, Penumalee shared some of the ways she prioritizes self-care to benefit her own well-being and those she’s committed to serve and empower. In addition to reading and physical exercise, Penumalee, soon-to-be member of the Active Minds Board of Directors, told The Informer she finds solace immersing herself in “mundane activities” that keep her present and grounded, while echoing the importance of human connection and creative release.
“Self-care can look like so many different things, but it’s important to kind of figure out what works for you and go with that instead,” she continued. “I have tried the meditation; I’ve tried the journaling. I’ve tried all of it, and I’ve found that those things just don’t work as well for me … and that’s OK. So, I would advise people to try a bunch of different things, but if it doesn’t work for you, don’t force it.”
Back on the Hill, local and national communities can join the push to see the Campus Lifeline Act become law by encouraging their representatives to support the bill, expected to move forward sometime in 2027.
As for the advocates of Active Minds, next steps include looking for the next piece of transformative legislation to craft and continuing to open doors for all young people to grow and prosper — before it’s too late.
“Young adults have the right to know that asking for help is not a weakness … it’s a sign of strength,” Penumalee told The Informer. “Living a happy and healthy life is worth it. And that’s … the change that I would like to see for future generations to come.”
