National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018
On July 16, 2020, the Federal Communication Commission voted to finalize 988 as the three-digit number Americans can dial and be directed to the 24/7 national hotline. Phone service providers will begin the transition process to implement the 988 number nationwide by July 16, 2022.
This bill became Public Law No: 115-233 on August 14, 2018.
This law requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to coordinate with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and to consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs to examine: (1) the feasibility of designating a three-digit dialing code for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system; and (2) the effectiveness of the current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK), including how well it addresses the needs of veterans.
On July 23, 2018, Section 4 was added to the bill. The section states, "No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act. This Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized."
Position:
Support
Status:
Senate