[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 81 (Tuesday, May 11, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2176-H2178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2021

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2981) to amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure the 
provision of high-quality service through the Suicide Prevention 
Lifeline, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2981

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
     Improvement Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE.

       (a) Plan.--Section 520E-3 of the Public Health Service Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36c) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Plan.--
       ``(1) In general.--For purposes of maintaining the suicide 
     prevention hotline under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary 
     shall develop and implement a plan to ensure the provision of 
     high-quality service.
       ``(2) Contents.--The plan required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following:
       ``(A) Quality assurance provisions, including--
       ``(i) clearly defined and measurable performance indicators 
     and objectives to improve the responsiveness and performance 
     of the hotline, including at backup call centers; and
       ``(ii) quantifiable timeframes to track the progress of the 
     hotline in meeting such performance indicators and 
     objectives.
       ``(B) Standards that crisis centers and backup centers must 
     meet--
       ``(i) to participate in the network under subsection 
     (b)(1); and
       ``(ii) to ensure that each telephone call, online chat 
     message, and other communication received by the hotline, 
     including at backup call centers, is answered in a timely 
     manner by a person, consistent with the guidance established 
     by the American Association of Suicidology or other guidance 
     determined by the Secretary to be appropriate.
       ``(C) Guidelines for crisis centers and backup centers to 
     implement evidence-based practices including with respect to 
     followup and referral to other health and social services 
     resources.
       ``(D) Guidelines to ensure that resources are available and 
     distributed to individuals using the hotline who are not 
     personally in a time of crisis but know of someone who is.
       ``(E) Guidelines to carry out periodic testing of the 
     hotline, including at crisis centers and backup centers, 
     during each fiscal year to identify and correct any problems 
     in a timely manner.
       ``(F) Guidelines to operate in consultation with the State 
     department of health, local governments, Indian tribes, and 
     tribal organizations.
       ``(3) Initial plan; updates.--The Secretary shall--
       ``(A) not later than 6 months after the date of enactment 
     of the Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2021, 
     complete development of the initial version of the plan

[[Page H2177]]

     required by paragraph (1), begin implementation of such plan, 
     and make such plan publicly available; and
       ``(B) periodically thereafter, update such plan and make 
     the updated plan publicly available.''.
       (b) Transmission of Data to CDC.--Section 520E-3 of the 
     Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36c) is amended by 
     inserting after subsection (c) of such section, as added by 
     subsection (a) of this section, the following:
       ``(d) Transmission of Data to CDC.--The Secretary shall 
     formalize and strengthen agreements between the National 
     Suicide Prevention Lifeline program and the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention to transmit any necessary 
     epidemiological data from the program to the Centers, 
     including local call center data, to assist the Centers in 
     suicide prevention efforts.''.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Subsection (e) of 
     section 520E-3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     290bb-36c) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--To carry out this section, there are 
     authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2022 through 2024.
       ``(2) Allocation.--Of the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated by paragraph (1) for each of fiscal years 2022 
     through 2024, at least 80 percent shall be made available to 
     crisis centers.''.

     SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.

       (a) Pilot Program.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental 
     Health and Substance Use, shall carry out a pilot program to 
     research, analyze, and employ various technologies 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) 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) 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--
       (1) a full description of the program;
       (2) the number of individuals served by the program;
       (3) the average wait time for each individual to receive a 
     response;
       (4) the cost of the program, including the cost per 
     individual served; and
       (5) any other information the Secretary determines 
     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, 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
       (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 better track aspects of usage such as repeat calls, 
     consistent with applicable Federal and State privacy laws; 
     and
       (2) submit a report to the Congress on the results 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 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 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 results 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 Prevention 
     Lifeline;
       (3) geographic coverage of each crisis call center;
       (4) the call answer rate of each crisis call center;
       (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 section 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 Lifeline 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 improving the Suicide 
     Prevention Lifeline, including recommendations for 
     legislative and administrative actions.

     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).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 2981.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2981, the Suicide 
Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act.
  We have spoken a lot about suicide prevention today and recognize 
that this is an issue we have to address to save the lives of Americans 
who are in the prime of their life. And we have tens of thousands of 
people dying every year from suicide, and millions of people struggling 
with mental health issues, many of which have been exacerbated by the 
COVID-19 pandemic.
  Fortunately, the Federal Government provides dedicated funding for a 
lifeline that people can call when they are in crisis, and we have 
recently made major investments in improving this lifeline by changing 
it to a 3-digit number, 988. That change is in the works now, Madam 
Speaker.

                              {time}  1545

  This bill will increase support for the National Suicide Prevention 
Lifeline to ensure that those who make the call are able to get high 
quality crisis service. The lifeline's network has now over 170 local 
call centers that answer millions of calls every year. However, we need 
to provide additional funding so this lifeline can respond to 
increasing demands. The legislation will also enhance coordination of 
services as well as data sharing while extending the capacity for local 
communities to provide services.
  This bill, Madam Speaker, will ensure that the lifeline has the 
sufficient level of resources needed to provide high quality services 
for people who are reaching out for help.
  Again, I want to commend the lead sponsors of this bill, 
Representatives Katko, Beyer, and Napolitano, and their staff for their 
tireless work on this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2981, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2981, the 
Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2021, introduced by 
Representatives Katko, Napolitano, and Beyer. This legislation will 
increase the authorization of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
program to $50 million a year and ensures funding is available for the 
continued operation of the suicide hotline.
  When an individual in crisis calls the suicide hotline, they cannot 
get a busy signal. This is crucial in this time of economic distress 
and social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With more 
individuals in crisis, more calls will come. We must increase awareness 
of this critical resource and make it easier to remember the number. We 
must make sure the national suicide hotline is prepared to deal with 
those in crisis.

[[Page H2178]]

  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Katko).
  Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Suicide Prevention 
Lifeline Improvement Act. I was proud to introduce this legislation 
alongside my good friends and tremendous leaders on mental health 
issues, Congresswoman Napolitano and Congressman Beyer.
  Every year during Mental Health Awareness Month, I stand before this 
body to highlight the mental health crisis facing our Nation and the 
urgent need for action. This year, however, the issue is more critical 
than ever.
  As the coronavirus pandemic impacted nearly every aspect of our 
society and daily lives, we saw devastating increases in the number of 
Americans suffering from mental health issues. One report by the 
Centers for Disease Control last June indicated that 40 percent of U.S. 
adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use, with 
nearly 11 percent of adults and over 25 percent of those aged 18 to 24 
years old having seriously considered suicide. Those are stunning 
numbers. The threat of this pandemic was not solely a physical or 
financial one. It has taken a toll on the mental health of millions 
upon millions of Americans, and they need our support.
  I am pleased that the bipartisan Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
Improvement Act takes important steps to provide individuals in crisis 
with lifesaving aid and resources by improving and strengthening the 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Since its creation, the lifeline 
has been significantly underfunded and plagued with issues, like long 
call wait times and lack of consistency.
  This bill increases the authorization from $12 million to $50 
million, and dedicates 80 percent of that funding to local suicide 
crisis centers that are the backbone of the lifeline, like Contact 
Community Services in Syracuse, which literally saves lives every day.
  The legislation also implements important quality assurance measures 
including the requirement to eliminate call wait times and implement 
evidence-based practices like follow-up and referrals to other health 
services that are required. For too long, the mental health and suicide 
crisis in our country has gone unspoken, underfunded and under-
recognized. It is time we address this crisis as what it is: a crisis.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2981 and other 
important mental health bills on the floor today.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. In closing, Madam Speaker, I appreciate my colleagues 
for working very hard on this bill and all the bills for suicide 
preservation.
  Madam Speaker, I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. PALLONE. In closing, Madam Speaker, this, again, is a bill to try 
to improve the lifeline and the use of the new 988 number. I urge its 
support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2981.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________