FCC Has Recommendation But No Consensus on Suicide Prevention Hotline Number
Though the FCC has an August deadline to submit a recommendation to Congress for a national three-digit suicide prevention hotline number and its North American Numbering Council advising expanded use of 211 (see 1905080020), what the agency doesn't have is consensus among mental health community stakeholders and others about what number to use. Former NANC leaders tell us the agency typically follows its recommendations even in contentious issues.
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The NANC report sent last week to the FCC recommends (see 1905170054) it issue a request for comments on the recommendations before sending it to Congress and an NPRM before any final order establishing any three-digit code, whatever the code ends up being. Asked about its next steps, the FCC didn't comment.
A spokeswoman for Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, who has pushed for 611 (see 1812110033), emailed that he has remained in contact with the FCC throughout the proceeding and that his "main concern is that whatever number is ultimately designated not be used for a dual purpose." She said Stewart will continue to work with the FCC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration "to ensure that this goal is achieved."
Of the three-digit hotline options, 211 "is the worst," American Association of Suicidology board member Bart Andrews told us. Expanded use of 211 signals that suicide prevention "is a second-class citizen," not significant enough to warrant its own dedicated number, he said. Andrews added that the best option would be creation of an entirely new, non-N11 number, with a good fallback plan being repurposing 611, which is used by some telcos for repair service calls instead of public benefit.
"There has been significant bi-partisan support on Capitol Hill in support for 611," emailed the American Counseling Association, adding that it backs the work of Stewart and others for a dedicated hotline to support suicide-prevention. With suicide as the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., a dedicated, easy-to-remember number "would be one vital step to help those in need," it said.
"Everybody's heart is in the right place," United WaySenior Vice President and public policy counsel Steve Taylor told us. While UW is a 211 backer, the actual number designation is a secondary issue to adequate funding of the suicide prevention hotline, he said. The NANC recommendation was unsurprising since "211 makes the most sense" given that its established and virtually nationwide and already providing a plethora of social service-related referrals and often 211 centers are already operating suicide prevention lines as well, Taylor said.
Congress almost surely won't act unless there's unanimity, as lawmakers wouldn't want to choose between different advocates all trying to help people, Taylor said. "Politically, they're not going to do that," he said. "We hope there isn't going to be some sort of adversarial dispute" over the numbers, Taylor said. He said UW will try to meet with stakeholders to see about agreement on a compromise 211 designation that accommodates the concerns of advocates for other numbers.
The FCC has often given NANC recommendations “a lot of weight," said former NANC Chairman Betty Ann Kane. The agency sometimes found it useful to filter issues through that group “and let a lot of it play out there” before rulemaking, she said. Given that NANC's makeup is a cross-section of the telecom industry from industry to public service commissioners, the FCC generally sees its recommendations representing broad consensus, echoed Geoff Why, former NANC co-chair, now a telecom lawyer at Verrill Dana. Why said there's inherently going to be broad support for creation of a hotline number, given its suicide prevention aim, and a chief challenge will be the public awareness campaign that will be needed after a number is designated.