I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2345 
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 3, 2017 
Mr. STEWART (for himself, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. 
MCKINLEY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. SINEMA, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. THOMP-
SON of Pennsylvania, and Mr. BISHOP of Utah) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Suicide Hot-
line Improvement Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) According to the National Center for Health 
Statistics, suicide rates in the United States have 
surged to their highest levels in nearly 30 years. 
(2) The overall suicide rate rose by 24 percent 
from 1999 to 2014. 
(3) The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
(1–800–273–TALK [8255]), created under the lead-
ership of the Center for Mental Health Services of 
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration (commonly known as ‘‘SAMHSA’’), 
is a network of 161 crisis centers that provide a toll- 
free hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to anyone 
experiencing a mental health or suicidal emergency 
or crisis. 
(4) In 1967, the President’s Commission on 
Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice rec-
ommended the creation of a single telephone number 
that could be used nationwide for reporting emer-
gencies. 
(5) In 1968, the Federal Communications Com-
mission agreed upon the number 9–1–1, one of eight 
N11 dialing codes, as a simple, easy-to-remember 
telephone number to be the dedicated number for re-
porting emergencies, and 9–1–1 became the national 
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emergency number for individuals in the United 
States to access police, fire, and ambulance services. 
(6) Based on the success of the 9–1–1 nation-
wide emergency number, a study by the Federal 
Communications Commission regarding the use of a 
simple, easy-to-remember dedicated 3-digit dialing 
code for a suicide prevention and mental health cri-
sis hotline system would be beneficial in the preven-
tion of suicide nationwide. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’ means the 
Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Sub-
stance Use; 
(2) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 
Communications Commission; 
(3) the term ‘‘covered dialing code’’ means a 
simple, easy-to-remember, 3-digit dialing code; and 
(4) 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’’. 
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SEC. 4. FCC STUDY AND REPORT. 
(a) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, in coordi-
nation with the Assistant Secretary, 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 
(B) analyzes the effectiveness of the cur-
rent National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, in-
cluding how well the lifeline is working to ad-
dress the needs of veterans. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—In conducting the study 
under paragraph (1), the Commission shall— 
(A) request that the Assistant Secretary 
study and report to the Commission on the po-
tential impact of the designation of an N11 di-
aling code, or other covered dialing code, for a 
suicide prevention and mental health crisis hot-
line system on— 
(i) suicide prevention; 
(ii) crisis services; 
(iii) the National Suicide Prevention 
Lifeline; and 
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(iv) the Veterans Crisis Line; 
(B) consider— 
(i) each of the N11 dialing codes, in-
cluding the codes that are used for other 
purposes; and 
(ii) other covered dialing codes; 
(C) consult with the North American 
Numbering Council; and 
(D) consult with the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs with respect to how well the current Na-
tional Suicide Prevention Lifeline is working to 
address the needs of veterans. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 
Congress a report on the study conducted under sub-
section (a) that— 
(1) recommends a particular N11 dialing code 
or other covered dialing code to be used for a na-
tional suicide prevention and mental health crisis 
hotline system; 
(2) outlines the logistics of designating such a 
dialing code; 
(3) estimates the costs associated with desig-
nating such a dialing code, including— 
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(A) the costs incurred by service providers, 
including— 
(i) translation changes in the network; 
and 
(ii) cell site analysis and reprogram-
ming by wireless carriers; and 
(B) the costs incurred by States and local-
ities; 
(4) provides legislative recommendations for 
designating such a dialing code; 
(5) provides a cost-benefit analysis comparing 
the recommended dialing code with the current Na-
tional Suicide Prevention Lifeline; and 
(6) makes other recommendations for improving 
the national suicide prevention lifeline system gen-
erally, which may include— 
(A) increased funding; 
(B) increased public education and aware-
ness; and 
(C) improved infrastructure and oper-
ations. 
Æ 
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