Skip to content

Are you in a crisis? Call or text 988 or text TALK to 741741

¿Estás en una crisis? Llama o envía un mensaje de texto al 988 o envía un mensaje de texto con AYUDA al 741741

Donate Now

AFSP Applauds Passage Of Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Labor, Health And Human Services, And Education Bill

February 4, 2026 – 3 min read

By AFSP

Dark blue banner with lifesavers

NEW YORK (Feb. 4, 2026) - The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) welcomes the President’s signing of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding bill, which overall makes continued investments in suicide prevention, mental health, and crisis response across the nation. 

The following is a statement from AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia:

AFSP strongly commends Congress for working in a bipartisan manner to increase funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to $534.6 million in FY26 and for restoring lifesaving 988 specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth (known as the “Press 3” option) at $33.1 million. Restoring Press 3 services will ensure that young people in crisis can reach trained counselors who understand their lived experiences and can provide culturally competent support when it is needed most.  

AFSP is also encouraged by sustained investments in, including modest increases to, programs administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that support evidence-based prevention, crisis services and community interventions including: 

  • CDC’s Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program – $30 million, supporting community-oriented public health approaches to preventing suicide through evidence-based, data-driven strategies 
  • National Violent Death Reporting System – $24.5 million 
  • Suicide Prevention Resource Center – $11 million 
  • National Strategy for Suicide Prevention – $30.2 million, including $23.8 million for Zero Suicide 
  • Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grants – $45.8 million for state and tribal grants and $10.5 million for campus grants 
  • American Indian and Alaska Native Suicide Prevention – $4.9 million 
  • Mental Health Crisis Response Grants – $20 million 
  • Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers – $386 million 
  • Mental Health Block Grant – $1.01 billion  

In addition, Congress continues to support critical mental health and suicide prevention research at the National Institute of Mental Health – $2.19 billion.  

AFSP also celebrates the passage of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, a vital measure supporting the mental health of health care professionals. This was one of the key bills that AFSP volunteer advocates championed at their Hill day during the 2025 Advocacy Forum. 

Importantly, Congress provided funding for these core suicide prevention, mental health, and public health programs and agencies without regard to the Administration’s proposed mergers of the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and National Institute on Drug Abuse, as well as proposed consolidations involving SAMHSA, HRSA, and CDC. 

AFSP extends its deep gratitude to our volunteer advocates, Advocacy Ambassadors, and the entire AFSP community whose consistent and persistent advocacy made these investments possible. Their voices — amplified through our federal funding campaign and AFSP’s first-ever fly-in focused solely on suicide prevention funding — were instrumental in securing these outcomes. Advocates can thank members of Congress for their support for these programs through our Action Center.  

As we look ahead to FY27, AFSP will continue to advocate for robust federal funding that fully meets the nation’s suicide prevention, mental health, and substance use treatment needs, particularly for populations at increased risk of suicide. These investments save lives, and continued bipartisan leadership from Congress will be essential to building a stronger, more responsive, and comprehensive prevention, treatment, and recovery system for all. 

###     

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through public education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with its Policy and Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,  LinkedIn and TikTok.   

Media interested in speaking with AFSP on this news are encouraged to fill out this press request form and review AFSP’s Ethical Reporting Guidelines.