Text-to-988 Requires More Lifeline Capacity: Mental Health Interests
Some mental health interests think the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline needs more capacity to handle texts if the FCC requires covered carriers to provide text-to-988 service. Most Lifeline network call centers don't have the ability to accept text messages, "so…
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more ... will have to add that capability," said Mental Health America Senior Director-Population Health Maddy Reinert Thursday. "Significant infrastructure investments will be required to ensure that people who text to 988 receive quick, effective responses and the help they need, and it is imperative for state and federal policymakers to improve our nation’s crisis response infrastructure and ensure adequate resources for this vital service," Reinert said. The Trevor Project said it "strongly supports" text-to-988 functionality, but "we must also acknowledge that implementing a text messaging feature nationwide would require building the Lifeline's current capacity [and] Congress must appropriate the funding." The National Alliance on Mental Illness earlier said Lifeline's current capacity could be challenged by 988 texts (see 2104130062). CTIA urged the FCC to use the same definition of "covered providers" as it does in its text-to-911 rules, per a docket 18-336 post Thursday on a meeting with aides to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel about the text-to-988 Further NPRM on the April agenda.