U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) on Sept. 27 unveiled a bipartisan bill to ramp up federally authorized funding from $12 million to $50 million for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a national suicide prevention network of 161 crisis centers that provides a 24/7, toll-free hotline for those in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline expects 12 million calls over the next four years, equaling the total number of calls received from 2005 through 2017 and taxing an already constrained network.
“Suicide has affected far too many families in our community and nationwide, and we have tremendous work to do to combat the prevalence of suicide and reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health care,” Rep. Katko said during a Sept. 30 event at the East Syracuse, N.Y.-based Contact Community Services, which is one of the centers in the Lifeline network.
“Crisis centers like Contact Community Services work every day to help prevent suicide and provide counseling services for those in desperate need, but these organizations are already doing this tremendous work on a tight budget,” said Rep. Katko, who is co-chair of both the bipartisan Suicide Prevention Task Force and the Mental Health Caucus.
Local crisis centers like Contact Community Services, which handle most of the calls to Lifeline, now receive stipends of $1,500 to $2,500, an amount deemed insufficient.
Rep. Katko sponsored the Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act, H.R. 4564, with lead cosponsor U.S. Rep. Donald Beyer (D-VA) to ensure the provision of high-quality service through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, according to the congressional record.
“We need to support these organizations, and my bipartisan legislation does this by both bolstering funding and implementing programming to eliminate wait times, ensure those seeking assistance receive follow up, and make resources available to friends and family members of those in crisis,” said Rep. Katko.
Under H.R. 4564, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would be tasked with developing this programming. The bill also would require increased coordination and data sharing between the Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Katko’s office.
“I remain committed to addressing this issue in Congress,” Rep. Katko said.