Washington, DC— Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force and a national leader in championing mental health efforts, has introduced the Barriers to Suicide Act alongside Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA). This bipartisan legislation would create a federal grant program to help state and local governments install suicide prevention barriers and nets at high-risk public sites—including bridges, rail stations, and parking structures.

The bill is the latest in Fitzpatrick’s long-standing, bipartisan commitment to addressing America’s mental health crisis through evidence-based, community-driven solutions that save lives.

“More than 1,000 lives are lost to suicide on our railways each year. In our community, that crisis recently took three of our own—one to suicide, and two more in a brave attempt to save him. It was a devastating loss that shook us to our core,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “We can’t accept tragedy as the cost of inaction—not when solutions exist. That’s why Representative Beyer and I are introducing the Barriers to Suicide Act. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health Task Force, I’m working to equip communities with funding for proven, life-saving barriers at rail stations and other high-risk sites. We can’t bring back those we lost—but we can act in their memory, and we can save lives with the tools we know work.”

The legislation establishes a competitive grant program under the National Highway Performance Program and authorizes a national study to identify additional suicide prevention strategies for public spaces. Research shows that installing physical barriers at high-risk locations can reduce suicide deaths by up to 90%.

“Research has shown that means restriction is one of the most effective strategies for reducing suicides, the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States. Our Barriers to Suicide Act is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that would strengthen America’s response to the epidemic of suicide and save lives,” said Rep. Beyer. “Congress can help state and local governments by stepping up to provide critical funding to build life-saving infrastructure in communities across the country. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and will continue to pursue legislative solutions to prevent suicide, including through my work as co-Chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus and its Suicide Prevention Task Force.”

National Mental Health Leaders Endorse the Legislation

“The Barriers to Suicide Act meets a critical need to prevent suicide by investing in proven strategies to make public spaces safer for people in crisis,” said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “By funding evidence-based design and infrastructure improvements in high-risk settings, this legislation takes a proactive approach to suicide prevention. NAMI thanks Reps. Beyer and Fitzpatrick for their leadership and supports this important legislation."

“In 2023, more than 49,300 lives were lost to suicide in the United States, including 1,297 deaths by falling. Research shows that these deaths are preventable by reducing access to lethal means,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (ASFP). “Bridge barriers deter suicide and give individuals time to seek care and support. We commend Representative Beyer and Representative Fitzpatrick for championing this lifesaving legislation.”

“Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S., and too many occur at predictable, preventable locations. Research shows that physical barriers on bridges and high structures can reduce suicide deaths at those sites by up to 90%,” said Erich Mische, CEO at the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE). “Congressmen Don Beyer and Brian Fitzpatrick are showing the bipartisan leadership this crisis demands through the Barriers to Suicide Act of 2025. There should be no trade-off between saving money and saving lives. It’s time we apply the same safety standards to suicide prevention that we already expect in our public infrastructure—to protect the people we love.”

Key Provisions of the Barriers to Suicide Act

1. Establishes a competitive federal grant program to fund suicide prevention barriers and nets on high-risk infrastructure.
2. Covers sites including bridges, rail stations, parking garages, and other locations identified as high-risk.
3. Authorizes a national study to explore additional strategies to reduce suicide by falling.
4. Backed by leading organizations including NAMI, AFSP, SAVE, the Kennedy Forum, the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), and the National Association of Social Workers.

Over 49,000 Americans died by suicide in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Restricting access to lethal means—particularly in moments of acute crisis— has been shown to significantly reduce suicide attempts and deaths. Studies show that installing physical barriers and nets on bridges commonly used for suicide, for instance San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, offer a model for saving lives nationwide.

This legislation builds on Rep. Fitzpatrick’s broader work to expand access to mental health resources, strengthen crisis response systems, and address trauma and suicide risk in vulnerable communities across the country.

“Suicide is preventable. But prevention requires action,” Fitzpatrick said. “This bill is one more step in a larger fight—one I will continue to lead until every person in crisis has a chance to be heard, to be helped, and to be saved.”

Text of the Barriers to Suicide Act is available here.

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