Cárdenas Applauds Governor Newsom for Signing Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan’s Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act

October 04, 2022

Cárdenas Applauds Governor Newsom for Signing Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan's Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act

AB 988 will help fund crisis response services through a phone surcharge

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) applauded Governor Gavin Newsom for signing Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan's Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act. AB 988 provides funding and a framework for the long-term implementation of the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline to ensure everyone has someone to call, someone to come and somewhere to go.

"Thanks to Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan's tireless leadership, we are one step closer to building out the full potential of 988 in California," said Congressman Cárdenas. "This new law will make sure that anyone experiencing a mental health emergency gets the care they need, with the urgency and support they deserve. Going forward, I will continue to fight to get my legislation, the 988 Implementation Act, across the finish line to get California and other states the federal funding that they need for crisis response services. Together, we will change the way mental health crises are treated in America and work towards a future where mental health isn't criminalized."

AB 988 includes:

• Sustained funding for crisis centers and mobile response: To create an effective crisis response system that every Californian can universally and reliably access, the bill creates a permanent and sustainable funding source. AB 988 introduces a small telephone surcharge, as permitted in federal 988 legislation, set at only $0.08 per line per month for the first two years with a lifetime cap of $0.30 per line per month. Federal legislation that created the 988 calling code left it to individual states to implement and fund the new line, and many states continue to face funding challenges. California is only the fifth state to implement a 988 phone line surcharge.
• Coordinated implementation and long-term planning: AB 988 tasks the Office of Emergency Services (OES) with creating a technical advisory board at OES to inform the integration of 988 and 911. AB 988 also tasks the Health and Human Services Agency (HHS) with developing a 5-year implementation plan for 988.

Congressman Cárdenas is urging Congress to increase funding for 988 by passing his bipartisan 988 Implementation Act. Already Congress has sent the following to the 988 Lifeline:

• $282 million, one-time American Rescue Plan anomaly funding for 988 & crisis services. Of this, $105 million went to states and territories;
• $116.6 million for 988 & crisis services in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (omnibus) for FY 2022;
• $150 million, one time supplemental for FY 22 in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act; and
• $62 million in a continuing resolution for FY23 to carry out 988 Suicide Lifeline activities and behavioral health crisis services.

The 988 Implementation Act provides federal support, guidance and funding for states to enact 988 and crisis services. These measures will ensure that it's not just a number to call but a resource to connect to services on the ground, including trained first responders and crisis centers. The 988 Implementation Act:

• Solidifies funding for the 988 national hotline to ensure a timely 24/7 response to callers anywhere in the country;
• Provides funding for community-based crisis response, including local call centers, mobile crisis teams and crisis centers;
• Supports crisis workforce development with increased funding for training and scholarship opportunities;
• Increases access to care by requiring that all health insurance plans cover crisis services;
• Allows all states to have the opportunity to establish certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs), which provide comprehensive mental health and substance use services, including 24/7 crisis services;
• Implements a national suicide prevention awareness campaign in partnership with a wide array of stakeholders; and
• Provides technical assistance for states to implement crisis services and supports research for continuous quality improvement.

The legislation is supported by more than 110 organizations including mental health advocates, mental health and medical professionals, law enforcement, state and local government officials, civil rights advocates, veterans and more.

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