US Senator Jerry Moran and others in Congress have cosponsored a plan to create a three-digit suicide hotline number.
If members of House and Senate approve and President Trump signs the bill, 9-8-8 will be designated as the hotline number.
Moran says both Kansas and the country as a whole would benefit from increased access to critical suicide prevention and mental wellness services provided through a dedicated nationwide hotline. This follows a recommendation from the Federal Communications Commission to go from the current 10-number line, 800-273-8255, to a three-digit number.
The bill would mean the Veterans Crisis Line would be included in the new number. The bill also would let states collect fees to make sure local call centers can support increased volume if that develops.
