What does Preamble of 9–8–8 Connect Act do?

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants for crisis centers to provide follow-up services to individuals who have received suicide prevention and crisis intervention. The bill also aims to improve the accessibility of 9-8-8. The bill's stated purpose is 'to amend the Public Health Service Act to award grants to eligible crisis centers to provide follow-up services to individuals receiving suicide prevention and crisis intervention services, to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to improve the accessibility of 9-8-8, and for other purposes.'

What does SHORT TITLE. of 9–8–8 Connect Act do?

This bill is formally titled the 9-8-8 Connect Act.

What does GRANTS FOR FOLLOW-UP SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING SUICIDE of 9–8–8 Connect Act do?

This section amends Title V of the Public Health Service Act to establish grants for follow-up services to individuals who contact the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will award grants to eligible crisis centers to provide these follow-up services. To be eligible, a crisis center must be a member of the network coordinated under section 520E-3(b)(1). Grant recipients will be selected based on the relative needs of eligible centers, considering capacity and service gaps. The Secretary will provide technical assistance to grant recipients regarding best practices. Grant funds must be used to provide follow-up services to individuals identified as at risk of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. Follow-up services may include check-ins, outreach, collaboration with supports, and referrals. Crisis centers must obtain informed consent from individuals before providing follow-up services, disclosing the nature, scope, purpose, communication methods, duration, and the individual's right to decline or withdraw consent. Sharing personally identifiable information with third parties is prohibited without express, written, and revocable consent, except as required by law. Follow-up services must be conducted in a manner that avoids involuntary or coercive interventions unless there is imminent risk. The Secretary is required to develop and disseminate model national standards for informed consent and privacy protections within one year of enactment.

What does 9-8-8 IMPROVEMENT. of 9–8–8 Connect Act do?

This section defines key terms related to 9-8-8, including the number itself, commercial mobile service, and non-service-initialized handsets. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is directed to issue regulations within 270 days of the Act's enactment to ensure that providers of commercial mobile service transmit all calls and text messages to 9-8-8. Commercial mobile service providers must comply with the FCC's regulations within one year of their promulgation. Section 721 of the Communications Act of 1934 is amended to include 9-8-8 alongside 9-1-1 in relation to multi-line telephone systems. These amendments to Section 721 apply to actions occurring two years after the Act's enactment. An exception is provided for multi-line telephone systems installed before the two-year mark that cannot be configured to support 9-8-8 without hardware or software upgrades.

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9–8–8 Connect Act

Last updated: 5/21/2026 · Introduced: 5/21/2026

Author: Alex Padilla (D-CA)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill establishes grants for crisis centers to provide follow-up services, such as check-ins and referrals, to individuals who contact the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is directed to regulate commercial mobile service providers to ensure all calls and text messages to 9-8-8 are transmitted effectively.
The bill amends existing law to include 9-8-8 alongside 9-1-1 in regulations concerning multi-line telephone systems.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

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Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 2 more.

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