RAYS Act

Access to Help via ID Cards: Under Section 8549D(a)(1), local educational agencies that issue identification cards to secondary school students must ensure those cards include contact information for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and a State or local suicide prevention hotline. This is positive because it puts critical, life-saving help directly into the hands of students.

Access to Help Online and on Portals: Under Section 8549D(a)(2), local educational agencies that do not issue student identification cards must prominently publish the required contact information on a publicly accessible website and include it on computer portals and software platforms regularly used by students. This is positive because students who do not receive physical ID cards will still easily find this vital mental health information.

Optional School Counselor Resources: Under Section 8549D(d)(1), local educational agencies may optionally include information on additional mental health resources, such as contact information for school counselors, on student identification cards. This is positive because it connects students directly with the specific mental health professionals available inside their own schools.

Accessible Public Outreach: Under Section 8549D(e), the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, must conduct outreach campaigns that provide information in a manner accessible to students and community members with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities. This is positive because it ensures that everyone, including individuals with disabilities, can understand and access these resources.