H. R. 2617—1178 
use disorders for use by health care providers, crisis services 
administrators, and crisis services providers in responding to 
individuals (including children and adolescents) experiencing 
mental health crises, substance-related crises, and crises arising 
from co-occurring disorders. 
(b) BEST PRACTICES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The best practices published under sub-
section (a) shall, as appropriate, address best practices related 
to crisis response services for the range of entities that furnish 
such services, taking into consideration such services that— 
(A) do not require prior authorization from an insur-
ance provider or group health plan nor a referral from 
a health care provider prior to the delivery of services; 
(B) provide for serving all individuals regardless of 
age or ability to pay; 
(C) provide for operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week; 
(D) provide for care and support through resources 
described in paragraph (2)(A) until the individual has been 
stabilized or transferred to the next level of crisis care; 
and 
(E) address psychiatric stabilization, including for— 
(i) individuals screened over the phone, text, and 
chat; and 
(ii) individuals stabilized on the scene by mobile 
teams. 
(2) IDENTIFICATION OF FUNCTIONS.—The best practices pub-
lished under subsection (a) shall consider the functions of the 
range of services in the crisis response continuum, including 
the following: 
(A) Identification of resources for referral and enroll-
ment in continuing mental health, substance use, or other 
human services relevant for the individual in crisis where 
necessary. 
(B) A description of access and entry points to services 
within the crisis response continuum. 
(C) Identification, as appropriate and consistent with 
State laws, of any protocols and agreements for the transfer 
and receipt of individuals to and from other segments of 
the crisis response continuum segments as needed, and 
from outside referrals, including health care providers, first 
responders (including law enforcement, paramedics, and 
firefighters), education institutions, and community-based 
organizations. 
(D) Description of the qualifications of the range of 
crisis services staff, including roles for physicians, licensed 
clinicians, case managers, and peers (in accordance with 
State licensing requirements or requirements applicable 
to Tribal health professionals). 
(E) The convening of collaborative meetings of relevant 
crisis response system partners, such as crisis response 
service providers, first responders (including law enforce-
ment, paramedics, and firefighters), and community part-
ners (including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
or 9–8–8 call centers, 9–1–1 public service answering 
points, and local mental health and substance use disorder 
treatment providers), operating in a common region for
H. R. 2617—1179 
the discussion of case management, best practices, and 
general performance improvement. 
(3) SERVICE CAPACITY AND QUALITY BEST PRACTICES.—The 
best practices under subsection (a) may include recommenda-
tions on— 
(A) the volume of services to meet population need; 
(B) appropriate timely response; and 
(C) capacity to meet the needs of different patient 
populations that may experience a mental health or sub-
stance use crisis, including children, families, and all age 
groups, racial and ethnic minorities, veterans, individuals 
with co-occurring mental health and substance use dis-
orders, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with 
chronic illness. 
(4) IMPLEMENTATION
TIMEFRAME.—The Secretary shall— 
(A) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this section, publish and maintain the best practices 
required by subsection (a); and 
(B) after 3 years, facilitate the identification of any 
updates to such best practices, as appropriate. 
(5) EVALUATIONS.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, an 
assessment of relevant programs related to mental health and 
substance use disorder crises authorized under title V of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq.) in order 
to assess the extent to which such programs meet objectives 
and performance metrics, as determined by the Secretary. Such 
evaluation may, as appropriate, include data on— 
(A) the type and variety of services provided when 
responding to mental health and substance use-related 
crises; 
(B) the impact on emergency department facility use 
and length of stay, including for patients who require fur-
ther psychiatric care; 
(C) the impact on access to crisis care centers and 
crisis bed services; 
(D) the impact on linkage to appropriate post-crisis 
care; and 
(E) the use of best practices and recommendations 
identified under this section. 
SEC. 1103. SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE IMPROVEMENT. 
(a) SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE.— 
(1) ACTIVITIES.—Section 520E–3(b) of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c(b)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘supporting and’’ before ‘‘coordi-
nating’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘crisis intervention services’’ and 
inserting ‘‘mental health crisis intervention services, 
including appropriate follow-up services,’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting a semicolon; and
H. R. 2617—1180 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) improving awareness of the program for suicide preven-
tion and mental health crisis intervention services, including 
by conducting an awareness initiative and ongoing outreach 
to the public; and 
‘‘(5) improving the collection and analysis of demographic 
information, in a manner that protects personal privacy, con-
sistent with applicable Federal and State privacy laws, in order 
to understand disparities in access to the program among 
individuals who are seeking help.’’. 
(2) PLAN.—Section 520E–3 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c) is further amended— 
(A) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (f); 
and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: 
‘‘(c) PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of supporting the crisis 
centers under subsection (b)(1) and maintaining the suicide 
prevention hotline under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall 
develop and implement a plan to ensure the provision of high- 
quality services. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The plan required by paragraph (1) shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(A) Program evaluation, including performance meas-
ures to assess progress toward the goals and objectives 
of the program and to improve the responsiveness and 
performance of the hotline, including at all backup call 
centers. 
‘‘(B) Requirements that crisis centers and backup cen-
ters must meet— 
‘‘(i) to participate in the network under subsection 
(b)(1); and 
‘‘(ii) to ensure that each telephone call and 
applicable other communication received by the hotline, 
including at backup call centers, is answered in a 
timely manner, consistent with evidence-based guid-
ance or other guidance or best practices, as appro-
priate. 
‘‘(C) Specific recommendations and strategies for imple-
menting evidence-based practices, including with respect 
to followup and communicating the availability of resources 
in the community for individuals in need. 
‘‘(D) Criteria for carrying out periodic testing of the 
hotline during each fiscal year, including at crisis centers 
and backup centers, to identify and address any problems 
in a timely manner. 
‘‘(3) CONSULTATION.—In developing requirements under 
paragraph (2)(B), the Secretary shall consult with State depart-
ments of health, local governments, Indian Tribes, and Tribal 
organizations. 
‘‘(4) INITIAL PLAN; UPDATES.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being 
Act of 2022, complete development of the initial plan under 
paragraph (1) and make such plan publicly available; and 
‘‘(B) periodically thereafter, update such plan and make 
the updated plan publicly available.’’.
H. R. 2617—1181 
(3) TRANSMISSION OF DATA TO CDC AND TO ASSIST STATE 
AND LOCAL AGENCIES.—Section 520E–3 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c) is amended by inserting 
after subsection (c), as added by paragraph (2), the following: 
‘‘(d) IMPROVING EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA.—The Secretary shall, 
as appropriate, formalize and strengthen agreements between the 
Suicide Prevention Lifeline program and the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention with respect to the secure sharing of de- 
identified epidemiological data. Such agreements shall include 
appropriate privacy and security protections that meet the require-
ments of applicable Federal law, at a minimum. 
‘‘(e) DATA TO ASSIST STATE AND LOCAL SUICIDE PREVENTION 
ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall ensure that the aggregated 
information collected and any applicable analyses conducted under 
subsection (b)(5), including from local call centers, as applicable, 
are made available in a usable format to State and local agencies 
in order to inform suicide prevention activities.’’. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Subsection (f) of 
section 520E–3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
290bb–36c), as redesignated by paragraph (2), is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry out this sec-
tion, there are authorized to be appropriated $101,621,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.’’. 
(b) PILOT PROGRAM ON INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental 
Health and Substance Use, shall, as appropriate, carry out 
a pilot program to research, analyze, and employ various tech-
nologies and platforms of communication (including social 
media platforms, texting platforms, and email platforms) for 
suicide prevention in addition to the telephone and online chat 
service provided by the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 24 months after the date on 
which the pilot program under paragraph (1) commences, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the 
Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall 
submit to the Congress a report on the pilot program. With 
respect to each platform of communication employed pursuant 
to the pilot program, the report shall include— 
(A) a full description of the program; 
(B) the number of individuals served by the program; 
(C) the average wait time for each individual to receive 
a response; 
(D) the cost of the program, including the cost per 
individual served; and 
(E) any other information the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
(c) HHS STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services completes development 
of the plan under section 520E–3(c) of the Public Health Service 
Act, as added by subsection (a)(2)(B), the Secretary shall— 
(1) complete a study on— 
(A) the implementation of such plan, including the 
progress towards meeting the goals and objectives identi-
fied pursuant to paragraph (2)(A) of such section 520E– 
3(c); and