National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2017

Summary: National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2017 (Sec. 3) This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to coordinate with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)&nbsp;and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)&nbsp;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 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK), including how well it addresses the needs of veterans. SAMHSA must&nbsp;report to the FCC: (1) the potential impact of a&nbsp;designated dialing code on suicide prevention, crisis services, and other suicide&nbsp;prevention and mental health crisis hotlines; and (2) recommendations for improving the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.&nbsp;&nbsp; The VA must&nbsp;report to the FCC about how well the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line are working to address the needs of veterans. The FCC must report to Congress whether it recommends a dialing code, a cost-benefit analysis comparing the three-digit code to the current lifeline number, and cost estimates for service providers, states, and localities.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Suicide Hotline Improvement 
Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission;
            (2) the term ``covered dialing code'' means a simple, easy-
        to-remember, 3-digit dialing code; and
            (3) the term ``N11 dialing code'' means an abbreviated 
        dialing code consisting of 3 digits, of which--
                    (A) the first digit may be any digit other than 
                ``1'' or ``0''; and
                    (B) each of the last 2 digits is ``1''.

SEC. 3. STUDIES AND REPORTS.

    (a) Primary Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission, in coordination with the 
        Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct a study that--
                    (A) examines the feasibility of designating an N11 
                dialing code or other covered dialing code to be used 
                for a national suicide prevention and mental health 
                crisis hotline system; and
                    (B) analyzes the effectiveness of the National 
                Suicide Prevention Lifeline as of the date on which the 
                study is initiated, including how well the lifeline is 
                working to address the needs of veterans.
            (2) Requirements.--
                    (A) Commission.--In conducting the study under 
                paragraph (1), the Commission shall--
                            (i) consider--
                                    (I) each of the N11 dialing codes, 
                                including the codes that are used for 
                                other purposes; and
                                    (II) other covered dialing codes;
                            (ii) consult with the North American 
                        Numbering Council; and
                            (iii) review the information provided by 
                        the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and 
                        Substance Use and the Secretary of Veterans 
                        Affairs under subparagraphs (B) and (C), 
                        respectively, of this paragraph.
                    (B) SAMHSA study and report to assist commission.--
                To assist the Commission in conducting the study under 
                paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary for Mental 
                Health and Substance Use shall analyze and, not later 
                than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
                report to the Commission on--
                            (i) the potential impact of the designation 
                        of an N11 dialing code, or other covered 
                        dialing code, for a suicide prevention and 
                        mental health crisis hotline system on--
                                    (I) suicide prevention;
                                    (II) crisis services; and
                                    (III) other suicide prevention and 
                                mental health crisis hotlines, 
                                including--
                                            (aa) the National Suicide 
                                        Prevention Lifeline; and
                                            (bb) the Veterans Crisis 
                                        Line; and
                            (ii) possible recommendations for improving 
                        the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
                        generally, which may include--
                                    (I) increased public education and 
                                awareness; and
                                    (II) improved infrastructure and 
                                operations.
                    (C) VA study and report to assist commission.--To 
                assist the Commission in conducting the study under 
                paragraph (1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
                study and, not later than 180 days after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, report to the Commission on how 
                well the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the 
                Veterans Crisis Line, as in effect on the date on which 
                the study is initiated, is working to address the needs 
                of veterans.
    (b) Primary Commission Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission, in coordination with the 
        Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall submit a report on the 
        study conducted under subsection (a) that recommends whether a 
        particular N11 dialing code or other covered dialing code 
        should be used for a national suicide prevention and mental 
        health crisis hotline system to--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions of the Senate; and
                    (C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives.
            (2) Additional contents.--If the report submitted by the 
        Commission under paragraph (1) recommends that a dialing code 
        should be used, the report shall also--
                    (A) outline the logistics of designating such a 
                dialing code;
                    (B) estimate the costs associated with designating 
                such a dialing code, including--
                            (i) the costs incurred by service 
                        providers, including--
                                    (I) translation changes in the 
                                network; and
                                    (II) cell site analysis and 
                                reprogramming by wireless carriers; and
                            (ii) the costs incurred by States and 
                        localities;
                    (C) provide recommendations for designating such a 
                dialing code;
                    (D) provide a cost-benefit analysis comparing the 
                recommended dialing code with the National Suicide 
                Prevention Lifeline, as in effect on the date on which 
                the report is submitted; and
                    (E) make other recommendations, as appropriate, for 
                improving the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
                generally, which may include--
                            (i) increased public education and 
                        awareness; and
                            (ii) improved infrastructure and 
                        operations.

            Passed the Senate November 7, 2017.

            Attest:

                                                JULIE E. ADAMS,

                                                             Secretary.