The FCC has announced a tentative agenda for the Open Commission Meeting scheduled for 10:30 am on Thursday, July 16, 2020. The meeting will be held online only, and will be streamed live with open captioning at https://www.fcc.gov/general/live.
As part of the agenda, the Commission will consider a draft Report and Order that would designate 988 as the 3-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to reach suicide prevention and mental health support services.
What the Report and Order would do:
- Require 988 calls to be transmitted to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, including calls made through telecommunications relay services.
- Require 988 to be implemented by July 16, 2022.
- To ensure that calls to 988 go through, require 10-digit dialing in areas that use 7-digit dialing and also have 988 as the first 3 numbers in some of their 7-digit phone numbers.
988 is not currently active. While the transition to 988 takes place, Americans who need help should continue to contact the Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK) and through online chats.
July 16 Meeting News Release:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-tentative-agenda-july-open-meeting-7
Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-365164A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-365164A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-365164A1.txt
Public Draft of the 988 Report and Order:
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-365165A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-365165A1.txt
For information about the 988 Report and Order, please contract Michelle Sclater, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-0388 or michelle.sclater@fcc.gov. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).