S 2425 — Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2021

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.

``(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 service.services.

``(A) QualityProgram assuranceevaluation, provisions,including including--performance ``(i)measures clearlyto definedassess andprogress measurabletoward performancethe indicatorsgoals and objectives of the program and to improve the responsiveness and performance of the hotline, including at backup call centers;centers.

and``(B) ``(ii)Requirements quantifiablethat timeframescrisis tocenters trackand thebackup progresscenters ofmust themeet-- hotline``(i) into meetingparticipate suchin performancethe indicatorsnetwork andunder objectives.subsection (b)(1);

``(B)and Standards``(ii) to ensure that crisiseach centerstelephone call and backupapplicable centersother mustcommunication meet--received ``(i)by tothe participatehotline, including at backup call centers, is answered in thea networktimely undermanner, subsectionconsistent (b)(1);with evidence-based guidance or other guidance or best practices, as appropriate.

and``(C) ``(ii)Specific torecommendations ensure that each telephone call, online chat message, and otherstrategies communicationfor receivedimplementing byevidence-based thepractices, hotline, including atwith backuprespect callto centers,follow-up isand answeredcommunicating in a timely manner by a person, consistent with the guidanceavailability established by the American Association of Suicidologyresources orin other guidance determined by the Secretarycommunity tofor beindividuals appropriate.in need.

``(C)``(D) GuidelinesCriteria for crisiscarrying centersout andperiodic backuptesting centersof tothe implementhotline evidence-basedduring practiceseach includingfiscal withyear, respectincluding toat followupcrisis centers and referralbackup centers, to otheridentify health and socialaddress servicesany resources.problems in a timely manner.

``(D)``(3) GuidelinesConsultation.--In todeveloping ensurerequirements thatunder resourcesparagraph are(2)(B), available and distributed to individuals using the hotlineSecretary whoshall areconsult notwith personallyState indepartments a time of crisishealth, butlocal knowgovernments, ofIndian someoneTribes, whoand is.Tribal organizations.

``(E)``(4) GuidelinesInitial toplan; 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)updates.--The GuidelinesSecretary toshall-- operate``(A) innot consultationlater withthan 1 year after the Statedate departmentof enactment of health,the localSuicide governments,Prevention IndianLifeline tribes,Improvement Act of 2021, complete development of the initial plan under paragraph (1) and tribalmake organizations.such plan publicly available;

``(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 required by paragraph (1), begin implementation of such plan, and make such plan publicly available;

(b)(c) Transmission of Data to CDC.--SectionAssist 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 (a)(b) of this section, the following:

``(d) Transmission of Data to CDC.--TheAssist SecretaryState shall formalize and strengthenLocal agreements between the National Suicide Prevention LifelineActivities.--The programSecretary andshall theensure Centersthat forthe Diseaseaggregated Controlinformation collected and Preventionany toapplicable transmitanalyses anyconducted necessaryunder epidemiologicalsubsection data(b)(5), including from thelocal programcall tocenters, theas Centersapplicable, forare Diseasemade Controlavailable andin Prevention,a includinguseable localformat callto centerState data,and tolocal assistagencies thein Centersorder into inform suicide prevention efforts.''.activities.''.

(c)(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--Subsection (e) of section 520E-3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.

290bb-36c)290bb-36c), as redesignated by subsection (b)(1), is amended toby readstriking ``$7,198,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022'' and inserting ``such sums as follows:may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027''.

``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.-- ``(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.

``(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.''.

PILOTHHS PROGRAMREPORT. ON INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.

(a)Not Pilotlater Program.--than (1)2 Inyears general.--Theafter the Secretary of Health and Human Services,Services actingsubmits through the Assistantplan Secretaryunder forsubsection Mental(c)(1) Healthof andsection Substance520E-3 Use,of shallthe carryPublic outHealth aService pilotAct, programas toadded research,by analyze,section and2(b)(2) employof variousthis technologiesAct, andthe platformsSecretary ofshall communicationsubmit (includinga socialreport mediato platforms,Congress textingon platforms,the andprogress emailmade platforms)on formeeting suicidethe preventionobjectives inidentified additionpursuant to thesubsection telephone(c)(2)(A)(i) andof onlinesuch chatsection service520E-3 providedand byrecommendations on improving the Suicideprogram, Preventionincluding Lifeline.improvements to enhance data collection and usage.

(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 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-- (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.

HHS STUDY AND REPORT.

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-- (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 Congress on the results of such study, including recommendations on whether additional legislation or appropriations are needed.

SEC.

5.

(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)520E-3(c)(1) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2(a)(2)2(b)(2) of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall--shall (1) complete a study on the Suicide Prevention Lifeline;Lifeline and submit a report to Congress on the results of such study.

and(b) (2)Content.--The submitstudy arequired reportby subsection (a) shall include what is known about-- (1) the feasibility of routing calls to Congressthe Suicide Prevention Lifeline to the nearest appropriate crisis center based on the resultsphysical location of suchthe study.contact;

(b)(2) Issuescapacity To Be Studied.--The study required by subsection (a) shall address-- (1) the feasibility of geolocating callers to direct calls to the nearestSuicide crisisPrevention center;Lifeline;

(2)(3) operationState shortcomingsand regional variation with respect to access to crisis call centers described in section 520E-3(b)(1) of the SuicidePublic PreventionHealth Lifeline;Service Act (42 U.S.C.

(3)290bb-36c(b)(1)), geographicincluding coveragewait times, answer times, hours of eachoperation, crisisand callfunding center;sources;

(4) the callimplementation answerof ratethe plan under section 520E-3(c) of eachthe crisisPublic callHealth center;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 callSuicide waitPrevention timeLifeline ofto eachhandle crisiscalls callfrom center;individuals with limited English proficiency.

(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.

6.5.

<all>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