Rep. Stewart’s National Suicide Prevention Hotline Improvement Act signed into law
On Aug. 14, President Donald Trump signed Rep. Chris Stewart and Sen. Orrin Hatch’s legislation, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline Improvement Act (H.R. 2345), into law. This bill aims to designate a new national three-digit dialing code, similar to 911, to be used for a mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline.
“This is a great day for Utah and a great day for the nation,” Stewart said. “We now have the opportunity to make the National Suicide Prevention Hotline more accessible and easier to remember. By creating a hotline dialing code that is short and easy to remember, we are taking an important step towards potentially averting tragedy. This new law truly has the ability to save lives. I’m grateful that the president signed this into law in a timely manner.”
Specifically, The National Suicide Prevention Hotline Improvement Act asks the Federal Communications Commission and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to conduct the following study:
—Recommend the best national three-digit number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.
—Examine the overall effectiveness of the current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Veterans Crisis Line and recommend ways to improve the current system.
—Perform a cost/benefit analysis of using a three-digit dialing code for this hotline system.
This bill was supported by the following:
—The Utah Department of Human Services; read its letter of support here.
—The Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health; read its letter of support here.
—University of Utah’s University Neuropsychiatric Institute; read their letter of support here.
—The Mental Health Liaison Group, comprising 45 national groups.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
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