II 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 2345 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JULY 24, 2018 
Received 
AN ACT 
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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Suicide Hot-
line Improvement Act of 2018’’. 
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 ab-
breviated 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 coordi-
nation with the Assistant Secretary for Mental 
Health and Substance Use and the Secretary of Vet-
erans 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 preven-
tion and mental health crisis hotline system; 
and 
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(B) analyzes the effectiveness of the Na-
tional 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 Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs under subpara-
graphs (B) and (C), respectively, of this 
paragraph. 
(B) SAMHSA STUDY AND REPORT TO AS-
SIST COMMISSION.—To assist the Commission 
in conducting the study under paragraph (1), 
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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 des-
ignation of an N11 dialing code, or other 
covered dialing code, for a suicide preven-
tion and mental health crisis hotline sys-
tem on— 
(I) suicide prevention; 
(II) crisis services; and 
(III) other suicide prevention and 
mental health crisis hotlines, includ-
ing— 
(aa) the National Suicide 
Prevention Lifeline; and 
(bb) the Veterans Crisis 
Line; and 
(ii) possible recommendations for im-
proving the National Suicide Prevention 
Lifeline generally, which may include— 
(I) increased public education 
and awareness; and 
(II) improved infrastructure and 
operations. 
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(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 enact-
ment of this Act, report to the Commission on 
how well the National Suicide Prevention Life-
line 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 rec-
ommends whether a particular N11 dialing code or 
other covered dialing code should be used for a na-
tional 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; 
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(C) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate; 
(D) the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives; and 
(E) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives. 
(2) ADDITIONAL CONTENTS.—If the report sub-
mitted by the Commission under paragraph (1) rec-
ommends that a dialing code should be used, the re-
port shall also— 
(A) outline the logistics of designating 
such a dialing code; 
(B) estimate the costs associated with des-
ignating such a dialing code, including— 
(i) the costs incurred by service pro-
viders, including— 
(I) translation changes in the 
network; and 
(II) cell site analysis and re-
programming by wireless carriers; and 
(ii) the costs incurred by States and 
localities; 
(C) provide recommendations for desig-
nating such a dialing code; 
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(D) provide a cost-benefit analysis com-
paring the recommended dialing code with the 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as in ef-
fect on the date on which the report is sub-
mitted; and 
(E) make other recommendations, as ap-
propriate, for improving the National Suicide 
Prevention Lifeline generally, which may in-
clude— 
(i) increased public education and 
awareness; and 
(ii) improved infrastructure and oper-
ations. 
SEC. 4. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED. 
No additional funds are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act. This Act shall be carried 
out using amounts otherwise authorized. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 23, 2018. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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