TRENTON — Governor Phil Murphy on Tuesday signed a bipartisan bill expanding mental health resource access for students by requiring the national suicide prevention hotline to be printed on student ID cards.
The legislation, sponsored by Senator Carmen Amato, Jr. (R-9) and Senator Joseph Cryan (D-20), updates an existing law that mandated New Jersey public schools, colleges, and universities include the NJ Suicide Prevention Hopeline and a crisis text line on student IDs.
Under the new law (S-3769/A-4897), schools must now also print the number for the national suicide prevention hotline, 988, on all student identification cards.
“This bill makes a small but powerful change to ensure that every student has access to trusted, potentially life-saving mental health support,” said Senator Amato.
Supporters say the change enhances access to critical services amid concerns about youth mental health and suicide.
A new state law now requires all New Jersey student ID cards to include the national 988 suicide prevention hotline.