Recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem, expressing support for the designation of September 8, 2025, as ''988 Day'' and the role of 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and for other purposes.
This is a non-binding House resolution that expresses the sense of Congress recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and endorses the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline as a critical component of the national mental health safety net. It designates September 8, 2025 as “988 Day” and calls for public education, outreach, and expanded access to mental health services and crisis intervention. The resolution highlights the 988 Lifeline’s operations, multilingual capabilities, and specialized services (e.g., veterans, Spanish speakers, LGBTQI+ youth), and cites nationwide data on usage, effectiveness, and growth. As a resolution, it acknowledges these issues and programs and encourages continued support, but does not create new laws or funding streams. Potential impact: While non-binding and not authorizing funding, the resolution signals congressional backing for 988 Lifeline and related crisis services. This can bolster public awareness, inform policy discussions, and potentially influence future funding, program expansion, and coordination across federal, state, and local levels to improve access to crisis intervention and mental health care.
Key Points
- 1Recognizes suicide as a serious and growing public health concern in the United States, citing CDC data on youth and overall mortality and the impact on families and communities.
- 2Commends the development and operation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (run by SAMHSA), describing it as a nationwide network of crisis centers available 24/7, with multilingual services and specialized options (including veterans, Spanish speakers, and LGBTQI+ youth).
- 3Supports designating September 8, 2025 as “988 Day” to raise awareness and promote the Lifeline’s role in saving lives and supporting mental health across communities.
- 4Encourages continued public education and outreach about 988, particularly for high-risk populations, and supports federal, state, and local efforts to expand access to mental health services and crisis intervention programs.
- 5Affirms the goals and ideals of 988 Day and the Lifeline as essential to the national mental health safety net and to reducing self-harm through timely crisis support.