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H.R. 4861: Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2020

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H.R. 4861: Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2019-10-28 · Health · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-10-28 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2020

Plain summary

Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2020 This bill establishes a competitive grant program for up to 40 hospitals with emergency departments and certain on-site professionals to help connect patients in emergency departments who are at risk of suicide with treatment and mental health services. Grants may be used to train emergency department providers and establish certain policies and procedures related to the identification, assessment, and treatment of, and care coordination for, individuals who are at risk of suicide. In awarding the grants, the Department of Health and Human Services may give preference to specified types of hospitals, such as critical access hospitals and hospitals in areas with suicide rates higher than the national average.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] · 14 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 4861, Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2019 (2020-12-24)

Cosponsors on this site

Paul Tonko (D-NY), Dina Titus (D-NV), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Lauren Underwood (D-IL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] reported raising $2.3 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr4861 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116