II 

Calendar No. 256 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1015 

To require the Federal Communications Commission to study the feasibility 

of designating a simple, easy-to-remember dialing code to be used for 

a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 3, 2017 

Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. UDALL, Mr. 

HELLER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. SCHATZ, and Mrs. SHAHEEN) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

OCTOBER 31, 2017 

Reported by Mr. THUNE, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To require the Federal Communications Commission to study 

the feasibility of designating a simple, easy-to-remember 

dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention 

and mental health crisis hotline system. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Suicide Hot3 line Improvement Act of 2017’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) According to the National Center for Health 

7 Statistics, suicide rates in the United States have 

8 surged to their highest levels in nearly 30 years. 

9 (2) The overall suicide rate rose by 24 percent 

10 from 1999 to 2014. 

11 (3) The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 

12 (1–800–273–TALK [8255]), created under the lead13 ership of the Center for Mental Health Services of 

14 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

15 Administration (commonly known as ‘‘SAMHSA’’), 

16 is a network of 161 crisis centers that provide a toll17 free hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to anyone 

18 experiencing a mental health or suicidal emergency 

19 or crisis. 

20 (4) In 1967, the President’s Commission on 

21 Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice rec22 ommended the creation of a single telephone number 

23 that could be used nationwide for reporting emer24 gencies. 

25 (5) In 1968, the Federal Communications Com26 mission agreed upon the number 9–1–1, one of eight 


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1 N11 dialing codes, as a simple, easy-to-remember 

2 telephone number to be the dedicated number for re3 porting emergencies, and 9–1–1 became the national 

4 emergency number for individuals in the United 

5 States to access police, fire, and ambulance services. 

6 (6) Based on the success of the 9–1–1 nation7 wide emergency number, a study by the Federal 

8 Communications Commission regarding the use of a 

9 simple, easy-to-remember dedicated 3-digit dialing 

10 code for a suicide prevention and mental health cri11 sis hotline system would be beneficial in the preven12 tion of suicide nationwide. 

13 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act— 

15 (1) the term ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’ means the 

16 Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Sub17 stance Use; 

18 (2) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 

19 Communications Commission; 

20 (3) the term ‘‘covered dialing code’’ means a 

21 simple, easy-to-remember, 3-digit dialing code; and 

22 (4) the term ‘‘N11 dialing code’’ means an ab23 breviated dialing code consisting of 3 digits, of 

24 which— 


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1 (A) the first digit may be any digit other 

2 than ‘‘1’’ or ‘‘0’’; and 

3 (B) each of the last 2 digits is ‘‘1’’. 

4 SEC. 4. FCC STUDY AND REPORT. 

5 (a) STUDY.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, in coordi7 nation with the Assistant Secretary, shall conduct a 

8 study that— 

9 (A) examines the feasibility of designating 

10 an N11 dialing code or other covered dialing 

11 code to be used for a national suicide preven12 tion and mental health crisis hotline system; 

13 and 

14 (B) analyzes the effectiveness of the cur15 rent National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, in16 cluding how well the lifeline is working to ad17 dress the needs of veterans. 

18 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—In conducting the study 

19 under paragraph (1), the Commission shall— 

20 (A) request that the Assistant Secretary 

21 study and report to the Commission on the po22 tential impact of the designation of an N11 di23 aling code, or other covered dialing code, for a 

24 suicide prevention and mental health crisis hot25 line system on— 


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1 (i) suicide prevention; 

2 (ii) crisis services; 

3 (iii) the National Suicide Prevention 

4 Lifeline; and 

5 (iv) the Veterans Crisis Line; 

6 (B) consider— 

7 (i) each of the N11 dialing codes, in8 cluding the codes that are used for other 

9 purposes; and 

10 (ii) other covered dialing codes; 

11 (C) consult with the North American 

12 Numbering Council; and 

13 (D) consult with the Secretary of Veterans 

14 Affairs with respect to how well the current Na15 tional Suicide Prevention Lifeline is working to 

16 address the needs of veterans. 

17 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

18 of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 

19 Congress a report on the study conducted under sub20 section (a) that— 

21 (1) recommends a particular N11 dialing code 

22 or other covered dialing code to be used for a na23 tional suicide prevention and mental health crisis 

24 hotline system; 


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1 (2) outlines the logistics of designating such a 

2 dialing code; 

3 (3) estimates the costs associated with desig4 nating such a dialing code, including— 

5 (A) the costs incurred by service providers, 

6 including— 

7 (i) translation changes in the network; 

8 and 

9 (ii) cell site analysis and reprogram10 ming by wireless carriers; and 

11 (B) the costs incurred by States and local12 ities; 

13 (4) provides legislative recommendations for 

14 designating such a dialing code; 

15 (5) provides a cost-benefit analysis comparing 

16 the recommended dialing code with the current Na17 tional Suicide Prevention Lifeline; and 

18 (6) makes other recommendations for improving 

19 the national suicide prevention lifeline system gen20 erally, which may include— 

21 (A) increased funding; 

22 (B) increased public education and aware23 ness; and 

24 (C) improved infrastructure and oper25 ations. 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Suicide Hot3 line Improvement Act of 2017’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this Act— 

6 (1) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 

7 Communications Commission; 

8 (2) the term ‘‘covered dialing code’’ means a sim9 ple, easy-to-remember, 3-digit dialing code; and 

10 (3) the term ‘‘N11 dialing code’’ means an abbre11 viated dialing code consisting of 3 digits, of which— 

12 (A) the first digit may be any digit other 

13 than ‘‘1’’ or ‘‘0’’; and 

14 (B) each of the last 2 digits is ‘‘1’’. 

15 SEC. 3. STUDIES AND REPORTS. 

16 (a) PRIMARY STUDY.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, in coordina18 tion with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health 

19 and Substance Use and the Secretary of Veterans Af20 fairs, shall conduct a study that— 

21 (A) examines the feasibility of designating 

22 an N11 dialing code or other covered dialing 

23 code to be used for a national suicide prevention 

24 and mental health crisis hotline system; and 

25 (B) analyzes the effectiveness of the Na26 tional Suicide Prevention Lifeline as of the date 


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1 on which the study is initiated, including how 

2 well the lifeline is working to address the needs 

3 of veterans. 

4 (2) REQUIREMENTS.— 

5 (A) COMMISSION.—In conducting the study 

6 under paragraph (1), the Commission shall— 

7 (i) consider— 

8 (I) each of the N11 dialing codes, 

9 including the codes that are used for 

10 other purposes; and 

11 (II) other covered dialing codes; 

12 (ii) consult with the North American 

13 Numbering Council; and 

14 (iii) review the information provided 

15 by the Assistant Secretary for Mental 

16 Health and Substance Use and the Sec17 retary of Veterans Affairs under subpara18 graphs (B) and (C), respectively, of this 

19 paragraph. 

20 (B) SAMHSA STUDY AND REPORT TO AS21 SIST COMMISSION.—To assist the Commission in 

22 conducting the study under paragraph (1), the 

23 Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Sub24 stance Use shall analyze and, not later than 180 


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1 days after the date of enactment of this Act, re2 port to the Commission on— 

3 (i) the potential impact of the designa4 tion of an N11 dialing code, or other cov5 ered dialing code, for a suicide prevention 

6 and mental health crisis hotline system 

7 on— 

8 (I) suicide prevention; 

9 (II) crisis services; and 

10 (III) other suicide prevention and 

11 mental health crisis hotlines, includ12 ing— 

13 (aa) the National Suicide 

14 Prevention Lifeline; and 

15 (bb) the Veterans Crisis Line; 

16 and 

17 (ii) possible recommendations for im18 proving the National Suicide Prevention 

19 Lifeline generally, which may include— 

20 (I) increased public education and 

21 awareness; and 

22 (II) improved infrastructure and 

23 operations. 

24 (C) VA STUDY AND REPORT TO ASSIST COM25 MISSION.—To assist the Commission in conVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:33 Oct 31, 2017 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S1015.RS S1015

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1 ducting the study under paragraph (1), the Sec2 retary of Veterans Affairs shall study and, not 

3 later than 180 days after the date of enactment 

4 of this Act, report to the Commission on how 

5 well the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 

6 and the Veterans Crisis Line, as in effect on the 

7 date on which the study is initiated, is working 

8 to address the needs of veterans. 

9 (b) PRIMARY COMMISSION REPORT.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

11 the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission, in 

12 coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Mental 

13 Health and Substance Use and the Secretary of Vet14 erans Affairs, shall submit a report on the study con15 ducted under subsection (a) that recommends whether 

16 a particular N11 dialing code or other covered dial17 ing code should be used for a national suicide preven18 tion and mental health crisis hotline system to— 

19 (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

20 and Transportation of the Senate; 

21 (B) the Committee on Health, Education, 

22 Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; and 

23 (C) the Committee on Energy and Com24 merce of the House of Representatives. 


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1 (2) ADDITIONAL CONTENTS.—If the report sub2 mitted by the Commission under paragraph (1) rec3 ommends that a dialing code should be used, the re4 port shall also— 

5 (A) outline the logistics of designating such 

6 a dialing code; 

7 (B) estimate the costs associated with desig8 nating such a dialing code, including— 

9 (i) the costs incurred by service pro10 viders, including— 

11 (I) translation changes in the net12 work; and 

13 (II) cell site analysis and re14 programming by wireless carriers; and 

15 (ii) the costs incurred by States and lo16 calities; 

17 (C) provide recommendations for desig18 nating such a dialing code; 

19 (D) provide a cost-benefit analysis com20 paring the recommended dialing code with the 

21 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as in effect 

22 on the date on which the report is submitted; 

23 and 


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1 (E) make other recommendations, as appro2 priate, for improving the National Suicide Pre3 vention Lifeline generally, which may include— 

4 (i) increased public education and 

5 awareness; and 

6 (ii) improved infrastructure and oper7 ations. 


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Calendar No. 256 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1015 

A BILL 

To require the Federal Communications Commiscrisis hotline system. a national suicide prevention and mental health ple, easy-to-remember dialing code to be used for sion to study the feasibility of designating a simOCTOBER 31, 2017 

Reported with an amendment 


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