Representatives Crow, Buck Lead Colorado’s US House Delegation in Pressing for Greater Accessibility to Three-Digit Suicide Hotline

Letter Comes Amid National Suicide Prevention Week and Ahead of Hotline's Implementation Next Year

WASHINGTON – Representatives Jason Crow (D-CO-06) and Ken Buck (R-CO-04) today lead Colorado's US House delegation in pressing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to increase accessibility options for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The three-digit crisis number will be operational starting next year. In a letter to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel during National Suicide Prevention Week, the members urged the Commission to require providers to support text messages to the 988 hotline in addition to phone calls to support a wider array of people.

"This three-digit crisis line number—which will be operational starting next year—will help millions of Americans access mental health and counseling services from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in their time of greatest need," wrote the members.

"Young people and other at-risk populations are often most comfortable communicating via text. By allowing a text-to-988 option in addition to voice call, the Commission can lower the bar to entry and improve access to crisis counseling and mental health services. This will save lives," they continued.

Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death for young people in the United States, and suicide attempts and death in younger children have also been rising in recent years. This effort by the lawmakers also comes as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, during which 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder (up from 1 in 10 before the pandemic).

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (en español: 1-888-628-9454; deaf and hard of hearing: dial 711, then 1-800-273-8255) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

See the full text of the letter here and below.

Dear Chairwoman Rosenworcel:

As we observe National Suicide Prevention Week, we appreciate the Commission's work implementing the new 988 suicide hotline number. This three-digit crisis line number—which will be operational starting next year—will help millions of Americans access mental health and counseling services from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in their time of greatest need. As the Commission considers next steps, we urge you to adopt a text-to-988 option, which will expand the reach of the hotline and make these critical resources more accessible to individuals in crisis.

Last year, Congress unanimously passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act to create a short, easy-to-remember three-digit phone number to access the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Even before the pandemic, mental illness rates and suicidal ideation among adults were on the rise. The COVID-19 pandemic compounded these trends and took a particularly devastating toll on the mental health of young people. During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, suicidal thinking and attempts among youth were up 25% over a similar period in 2019.

As 988 implementation continues, we urge the Commission to require providers to support text messages to 988. As the commission recognized in its April Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, young people and other at-risk populations are often most comfortable communicating via text. By allowing a text-to-988 option in addition to voice call, the Commission can lower the bar to entry and improve access to crisis counseling and mental health services. This will save lives.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this request.

Respectfully,

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