This bill establishes a new grant program under the Public Health Service Act to support eligible crisis centers in providing crucial follow-up services. These grants are intended for centers within the coordinated crisis network and will be awarded based on relative needs, capacity, and service gaps. Funds will be used to offer follow-up care, such as check-ins, outreach, and referrals, to individuals who have received suicide prevention or crisis intervention services, including callers at risk or those who have engaged with mobile crisis teams or urgent behavioral health clinics. The legislation also significantly improves the accessibility of the 9-8-8 national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline . It mandates that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) promulgate regulations requiring commercial mobile service providers to transmit all calls and text messages made to 9-8-8, even those originating from non-service-initialized handsets. Additionally, the bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure that multi-line telephone systems, similar to 9-1-1, allow for the direct dialing of 9-8-8 without requiring an access code.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Health
9–8–8 Connect Act
USA119th CongressHR-8122| House
| Updated: 3/26/2026
This bill establishes a new grant program under the Public Health Service Act to support eligible crisis centers in providing crucial follow-up services. These grants are intended for centers within the coordinated crisis network and will be awarded based on relative needs, capacity, and service gaps. Funds will be used to offer follow-up care, such as check-ins, outreach, and referrals, to individuals who have received suicide prevention or crisis intervention services, including callers at risk or those who have engaged with mobile crisis teams or urgent behavioral health clinics. The legislation also significantly improves the accessibility of the 9-8-8 national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline . It mandates that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) promulgate regulations requiring commercial mobile service providers to transmit all calls and text messages made to 9-8-8, even those originating from non-service-initialized handsets. Additionally, the bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure that multi-line telephone systems, similar to 9-1-1, allow for the direct dialing of 9-8-8 without requiring an access code.