[115th Congress Public Law 233]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 132 STAT. 2424]]

Public Law 115-233
115th Congress

                                 An Act


 
     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. <<NOTE: Aug. 14, 2018 -  [H.R. 2345]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: National Suicide 
Hotline Improvement Act of 2018.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Suicide Hotline Improvement 
Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``Commission'' means the Federal Communications 
        Commission;
            (2) the term ``covered dialing code'' means a simple, easy-
        to-remember, 3-digit dialing code; and
            (3) the term ``N11 dialing code'' means an abbreviated 
        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''.
SEC. 3. STUDIES AND REPORTS.

    (a) Primary Study.--
            (1) <<NOTE: Coordination.>>  In general.--The Commission, in 
        coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and 
        Substance Use and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall 
        conduct a study that--
                    (A) <<NOTE: Examination.>>  examines the feasibility 
                of designating an N11 dialing code or other covered 
                dialing code to be used for a national suicide 
                prevention and mental health crisis hotline system; and
                    (B) <<NOTE: Analysis.>>  analyzes the effectiveness 
                of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as of the 
                date on which the study is initiated, including how well 
                the lifeline is working to address the needs of 
                veterans.
            (2) Requirements.--
                    (A) Commission.--In conducting the study under 
                paragraph (1), the Commission shall--
                          (i) consider--
                                    (I) each of the N11 dialing codes, 
                                including the codes that are used for 
                                other purposes; and
                                    (II) other covered dialing codes;

[[Page 132 STAT. 2425]]

                          (ii) <<NOTE: Consultation.>>  consult with the 
                      North American Numbering Council; and
                          (iii) <<NOTE: Review.>>  review the 
                      information provided by the Assistant Secretary 
                      for Mental Health and Substance Use and the 
                      Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subparagraphs 
                      (B) and (C), respectively, of this paragraph.
                    (B) SAMHSA study and report to assist commission.--
                To assist <<NOTE: Analysis.>>  the Commission in 
                conducting the study under paragraph (1), the Assistant 
                Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use shall 
                analyze and, not later than 180 days after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, report to the Commission on--
                          (i) the potential impact of the designation of 
                      an N11 dialing code, or other covered dialing 
                      code, for a suicide prevention and mental health 
                      crisis hotline system on--
                                    (I) suicide prevention;
                                    (II) crisis services; and
                                    (III) other suicide prevention and 
                                mental health crisis hotlines, 
                                including--
                                            (aa) the National Suicide 
                                        Prevention Lifeline; and
                                            (bb) the Veterans Crisis 
                                        Line; and
                          (ii) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions.>>  possible 
                      recommendations for improving the National Suicide 
                      Prevention Lifeline generally, which may include--
                                    (I) increased public education and 
                                awareness; and
                                    (II) improved infrastructure and 
                                operations.
                    (C) VA study and report to assist commission.--To 
                assist the Commission in conducting the study under 
                paragraph (1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
                study and, not later than 180 days after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, report to the Commission on how 
                well the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the 
                Veterans Crisis Line, as in effect on the date on which 
                the study is initiated, is working to address the needs 
                of veterans.

    (b) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions. Coordination.>>  Primary Commission 
Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission, in coordination with the 
        Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall submit a report on the 
        study conducted under subsection (a) that recommends whether a 
        particular N11 dialing code or other covered dialing code should 
        be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health 
        crisis hotline system to--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
                Senate;
                    (D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives; and
                    (E) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives.

[[Page 132 STAT. 2426]]

            (2) Additional contents.--If the report submitted by the 
        Commission under paragraph (1) recommends that a dialing code 
        should be used, the report shall also--
                    (A) outline the logistics of designating such a 
                dialing code;
                    (B) <<NOTE: Cost estimate.>>  estimate the costs 
                associated with designating such a dialing code, 
                including--
                          (i) the costs incurred by service providers, 
                      including--
                                    (I) translation changes in the 
                                network; and
                                    (II) cell site analysis and 
                                reprogramming by wireless carriers; and
                          (ii) the costs incurred by States and 
                      localities;
                    (C) provide recommendations for designating such a 
                dialing code;
                    (D) <<NOTE: Analysis.>>  provide a cost-benefit 
                analysis comparing the recommended dialing code with the 
                National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as in effect on 
                the date on which the report is submitted; and
                    (E) make other recommendations, as appropriate, for 
                improving the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
                generally, which may include--
                          (i) increased public education and awareness; 
                      and
                          (ii) improved infrastructure and operations.
SEC. 4. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act. This Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 
authorized.

    Approved August 14, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2345:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-836 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
            July 23, considered and passed House.
            Aug. 1, considered and passed Senate.

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