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carry out a pilot program to research, analyze, and 
employ various technologies and platforms of com-
munication 
(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 Life-
line. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out paragraph (1), there is authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
years 2022 and 2023. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 24 months after the 
date on which the pilot program under subsection (a) com-
mences, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, act-
ing 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— 
(1) a full description of the program; 
(2) the number of individuals served by the pro-
gram; 
(3) the average wait time for each individual to 
receive a response; 
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(4) the cost of the program, including the cost 
per individual served; and 
(5) any other information the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
SEC. 4. HHS STUDY AND REPORT. 
Not later than 24 months after the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services begins implementation of the 
plan required by section 520E–3(c) of the Public Health 
Service Act, as added by section 2(a)(2) of this Act, the 
Secretary shall— 
(1) complete a study on— 
(A) the implementation of such plan, in-
cluding the progress towards meeting the objec-
tives identified pursuant to paragraph (2)(A)(i) 
of such section 520E–3(c) by the timeframes 
identified pursuant to paragraph (2)(A)(ii) of 
such section 520E–3(c); and 
(B) in consultation with the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
options to expand data gathering from calls to 
the Suicide Prevention Lifeline in order to bet-
ter track aspects of usage such as repeat calls, 
consistent with applicable Federal and State 
privacy laws; and 
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(2) submit a report to the Congress on the re-
sults of such study, including recommendations on 
whether additional legislation or appropriations are 
needed. 
SEC. 5. GAO STUDY AND REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 24 months after 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services begins imple-
mentation of the plan required by section 520E–3(c) of 
the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2(a)(2) 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall— 
(1) complete a study on the Suicide Prevention 
Lifeline; and 
(2) submit a report to the Congress on the re-
sults of such study. 
(b) ISSUES TO BE STUDIED.—The study required by 
subsection (a) shall address— 
(1) the feasibility of geolocating callers to direct 
calls to the nearest crisis center; 
(2) operation shortcomings of the Suicide Pre-
vention Lifeline; 
(3) geographic coverage of each crisis call cen-
ter; 
(4) the call answer rate of each crisis call cen-
ter; 
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(5) the call wait time of each crisis call center; 
(6) the hours of operation of each crisis call 
center; 
(7) funding avenues of each crisis call center; 
(8) the implementation of the plan under sec-
tion 520E–3(c) of the Public Health Service Act, as 
added by section 2(a) of this Act, including the 
progress towards meeting the objectives identified 
pursuant to paragraph (2)(A)(i) of such section 
520E–3(c) by the timeframes identified pursuant to 
paragraph (2)(A)(ii) of such section 520E–3(c); and 
(9) service to individuals requesting a foreign 
language speaker, including— 
(A) the number of calls or chats the Life-
line receives from individuals speaking a foreign 
language; 
(B) the capacity of the Lifeline to handle 
these calls or chats; and 
(C) the number of crisis centers with the 
capacity to serve foreign language speakers, in 
house. 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report required by 
subsection (a) shall include recommendations for improv-
ing the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, including rec-
ommendations for legislative and administrative actions. 
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SEC. 6. DEFINITION. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘Suicide Prevention Lifeline’’ 
means the suicide prevention hotline maintained pursuant 
to section 520E–3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 290bb–36c). 
Passed the House of Representatives May 12, 2021. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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