[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2425 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 128
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2425
To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure the provision of high-
quality service through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 21, 2021
Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Moran, Mr. Lujan, and Ms. Murkowski)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
September 21, 2021
Reported by Mrs. Murray, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure the provision of high-
quality service through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Improvement Act of 2021''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Plan.--Section 520E-3 of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 290bb-36c) is amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection
(e); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Plan.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Contents.--The plan required by paragraph
(1) shall include the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) Quality assurance provisions,
including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) clearly defined and
measurable performance indicators and
objectives to improve the responsiveness and
performance of the hotline, including at backup
call centers; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) quantifiable timeframes to
track the progress of the hotline in meeting
such performance indicators and
objectives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) Standards that crisis centers and
backup centers must meet--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) to participate in the
network under subsection (b)(1); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(F) Guidelines to operate in
consultation with the State department of health, local
governments, Indian tribes, and tribal
organizations.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Initial plan; updates.--The Secretary
shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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 required by paragraph (1),
begin implementation of such plan, and make such plan
publicly available; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) periodically thereafter, update such
plan and make the updated plan publicly
available.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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 for Disease Control and Prevention, including
local call center data, to assist the Centers in suicide prevention
efforts.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) In general.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated $113,600,000 for each
of fiscal years 2022 through 2024.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Pilot Program.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years 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 Congress a report
on the pilot program. With respect to each platform of communication
employed pursuant to the pilot program, the report shall include--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) a full description of the program;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the number of individuals served by the
program;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) the average wait time for each individual to
receive a response;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) the cost of the program, including the cost
per individual served; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) any other information the Secretary determines
appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. HHS STUDY AND REPORT.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Not later than 2 years 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--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) complete a study on--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) submit a report to Congress on the results of
such study, including recommendations on whether additional
legislation or appropriations are needed.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years 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--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) complete a study on the Suicide Prevention
Lifeline; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) submit a report to Congress on the results of
such study.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Issues To Be Studied.--The study required by
subsection (a) shall address--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the feasibility of geolocating callers to
direct calls to the nearest crisis center;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) operation shortcomings of the Suicide
Prevention Lifeline;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) geographic coverage of each crisis call
center;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) the call answer rate of each crisis call
center;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) the call wait time of each crisis call
center;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) the hours of operation of each crisis call
center;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) funding avenues of each crisis call
center;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) service to individuals requesting a foreign
language speaker, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the number of calls or chats the
Lifeline receives from individuals speaking a foreign
language;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the capacity of the Lifeline to handle
these calls or chats; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the number of crisis centers with the
capacity to serve foreign language speakers, in
house.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Recommendations.--The report required by subsection
(a) shall include recommendations for improving the Suicide Prevention
Lifeline, including recommendations for legislative and administrative
actions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. DEFINITION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> 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).</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Improvement Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE.
(a) Activities.--Section 520E-3(b) of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 290bb-36c(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by inserting ``supporting and'' before
``coordinating''; and
(B) by striking ``crisis intervention services''
and inserting ``mental health crisis intervention
services, including appropriate follow-up services,'';
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and inserting
a semicolon; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) improving awareness of the program for suicide
prevention and mental health crisis intervention services,
including by conducting an awareness initiative and ongoing
outreach to the public; and
``(5) improving the collection and analysis of demographic
information, in a manner that protects personal privacy,
consistent with applicable Federal and State privacy laws, in
order to understand disparities in access to the program among
individuals who are seeking help.''.
(b) 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 supporting the crisis
centers under subsection (b)(1) and maintaining the suicide
prevention hotline under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall
develop and implement a plan to ensure the provision of high-
quality services.
``(2) Contents.--The plan required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
``(A) Program evaluation, including performance
measures to assess progress toward the goals and
objectives of the program and to improve the
responsiveness and performance of the hotline,
including at backup call centers.
``(B) Requirements 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
and applicable other communication received by
the hotline, including at backup call centers,
is answered in a timely manner, consistent with
evidence-based guidance or other guidance or
best practices, as appropriate.
``(C) Specific recommendations and strategies for
implementing evidence-based practices, including with
respect to follow-up and communicating the availability
of resources in the community for individuals in need.
``(D) Criteria for carrying out periodic testing of
the hotline during each fiscal year, including at
crisis centers and backup centers, to identify and
address any problems in a timely manner.
``(3) Consultation.--In developing requirements under
paragraph (2)(B), the Secretary shall consult with State
departments of health, local governments, Indian Tribes, and
Tribal organizations.
``(4) Initial plan; updates.--The Secretary shall--
``(A) not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Improvement Act of 2021, complete development of the
initial plan under paragraph (1) and make such plan
publicly available; and
``(B) periodically thereafter, update such plan and
make the updated plan publicly available.''.
(c) Data to Assist State and Local Agencies.--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 (b) of
this section, the following:
``(d) Data to Assist State and Local Suicide Prevention
Activities.--The Secretary shall ensure that the aggregated information
collected and any applicable analyses conducted under subsection
(b)(5), including from local call centers, as applicable, are made
available in a useable format to State and local agencies in order to
inform suicide prevention activities.''.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--Subsection (e) of section
520E-3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36c), as
redesignated by subsection (b)(1), is amended by striking ``$7,198,000
for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022'' and inserting ``such sums
as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027''.
SEC. 3. HHS REPORT.
Not later than 2 years after the Secretary of Health and Human
Services submits the plan under subsection (c)(1) of section 520E-3 of
the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2(b)(2) of this Act,
the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the progress made on
meeting the objectives identified pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(A)(i)
of such section 520E-3 and recommendations on improving the program,
including improvements to enhance data collection and usage.
SEC. 4. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the Secretary of
Health and Human Services begins implementation of the plan required by
section 520E-3(c)(1) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by
section 2(b)(2) of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall complete a study on the Suicide Prevention Lifeline and
submit a report to Congress on the results of such study.
(b) Content.--The study required by subsection (a) shall include
what is known about--
(1) the feasibility of routing calls to the Suicide
Prevention Lifeline to the nearest appropriate crisis center
based on the physical location of the contact;
(2) capacity of the Suicide Prevention Lifeline;
(3) State and regional variation with respect to access to
crisis call centers described in section 520E-3(b)(1) of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36c(b)(1)),
including wait times, answer times, hours of operation, and
funding sources;
(4) the implementation of the plan under section 520E-3(c)
of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2(b)(2)
of this Act, including the progress toward meeting the
objectives in such plan; and
(5) capacity of the Suicide Prevention Lifeline to handle
calls from individuals with limited English proficiency.
SEC. 5. 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).
Calendar No. 128
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2425
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure the provision of high-
quality service through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 21, 2021
Reported with an amendment