---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 290bb–36c"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "290bb–36c"
heading: "National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/290bb-36c"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter III–A — Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration"
  - "Part B — Centers and Programs"
  - "Subpart 3 — center for mental health services"
---

# §290bb–36c. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), acting through the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), shall maintain the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) (referred to in this section as the “[program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)”), authorized under [section 290bb–32 of this title](/usc/42/290bb–32.md) and in effect prior to December 13, 2016.
- (b) **Activities—** In maintaining the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), the activities of the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall include—
  - (1) supporting and coordinating a network of crisis centers across the United States for providing suicide prevention and mental health crisis intervention [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), including appropriate follow-up [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), to individuals seeking help at any time, day or night;
  - (2) maintaining a suicide prevention hotline to link callers to local emergency, mental health, and social [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) resources;
  - (3) consulting with the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) of Veterans Affairs to ensure that veterans calling the suicide prevention hotline have access to a specialized veterans’ suicide prevention hotline;
  - (4) improving awareness of the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for suicide prevention and mental health crisis intervention [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), including by conducting an awareness initiative and ongoing outreach to the public;
  - (5) improving the collection and analysis of demographic information, in a manner that protects personal privacy, consistent with applicable Federal and [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) privacy laws, in order to understand disparities in access to the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) among individuals who are seeking help; and
  - (6) taking such steps as may be necessary to ensure the suicide prevention hotline is protected from cybersecurity incidents and eliminates known cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
- (c) **Plan—**
  - (1) **In general—** For purposes of supporting the crisis centers under [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1) and maintaining the suicide prevention hotline under [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2), the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall develop and implement a plan to ensure the provision of high-quality [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a).
  - (2) **Contents—** The plan required by [paragraph (1)](#c-1) shall include the following:
    - (A) [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) evaluation, including performance measures to assess progress toward the goals and objectives of the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) and to improve the responsiveness and performance of the hotline, including at all backup call centers.
    - (B) Requirements that crisis centers and backup centers must meet—
      - (i) to participate in the network under [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1); and
      - (ii) to ensure that each telephone call and applicable other communication received by the hotline, including at backup call centers, is answered in a timely manner, consistent with evidence-based guidance or other guidance or best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19), as appropriate.
    - (C) Specific recommendations and strategies for implementing evidence-based [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19), including with respect to followup and communicating the availability of resources in the community for individuals in need.
    - (D) Criteria for carrying out periodic testing of the hotline during each fiscal year, including at crisis centers and backup centers, to identify and address any problems in a timely manner.
  - (3) **Consultation—** In developing requirements under [paragraph (2)(B)](#c-2-B), the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall consult with State departments of health, local governments, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations.
  - (4) **Initial plan; updates—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall—
    - (A) not later than 1 year after December 29, 2022, complete development of the initial plan under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) and make such plan publicly available; and
    - (B) periodically thereafter, update such plan and make the updated plan publicly available.
- (d) **Improving epidemiological data—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall, as appropriate, formalize and strengthen agreements between the Suicide Prevention Lifeline [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to the secure sharing of de-identified epidemiological data. Such agreements shall include appropriate privacy and security protections that meet the requirements of applicable Federal law, at a minimum.
- (e) **Data to assist State and local suicide prevention activities—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall ensure that the aggregated information collected and any applicable analyses conducted under [subsection (b)(5)](#b-5), including from local call centers, as applicable, are made available in a usable format to [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and local [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) in order to inform suicide prevention activities.
- (f) **Cybersecurity reporting—**
  - (1) **Notification—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)’s network [administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) receiving Federal funding pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) shall report to the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), in a manner that protects personal privacy, consistent with applicable Federal and [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) privacy laws—
      - (i) any identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) within a reasonable amount of time after identification of such a vulnerability; and
      - (ii) any identified cybersecurity incidents to the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) within a reasonable amount of time after identification of such incident.
    - (B) **Local and regional crisis centers—** Local and regional crisis centers participating in the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) shall report to the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)’s network [administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) identified under [subparagraph (A)](#f-1-A), in a manner that protects personal privacy, consistent with applicable Federal and [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) privacy laws—
      - (i) any identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) within a reasonable amount of time after identification of such vulnerability; and
      - (ii) any identified cybersecurity incidents to the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) within a reasonable amount of time after identification of such incident.
  - (2) **Notification—** If the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)’s network [administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) receiving funding pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) discovers, or is informed by a local or regional crisis center pursuant to [paragraph (1)(B)](#f-1-B) of, a cybersecurity vulnerability or incident, within a reasonable amount of time after such discovery or receipt of information, such entity shall report the vulnerability or incident to the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c).
  - (3) **Clarification—**
    - (A) **Oversight—**
      - (i) **Local and regional crisis centers—** Except as provided in [clause (ii)](#f-3-A-ii), local and regional crisis centers participating in the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) shall oversee all technology each center employs in the provision of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) as a [participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) in the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
      - (ii) **Network administrator—** The [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)’s network [administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) receiving Federal funding pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) shall oversee the technology each crisis center employs in the provision of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) as a [participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) in the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) if such oversight responsibilities are established in the applicable network participation agreement.
    - (B) **Supplement, not supplant—** The cybersecurity incident reporting requirements under this subsection shall supplement, and not supplant, cybersecurity incident reporting requirements under other provisions of applicable Federal law that are in effect on December 1, 2025.
- (g) **Authorization of appropriations—** To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $101,621,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title V, § 520E–3, as added Pub. L. 114–255, div. B, title IX, § 9005, Dec. 13, 2016, 130 Stat. 1239; amended Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title I, § 1103(a), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5637; Pub. L. 119–44, title I, § 108(a), (b), Dec. 1, 2025, 139 Stat. 675, 676.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 119–44, § 108(a), added par. (6).

Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 119–44, § 108(b), added subsec. (f) and redesignated former subsec. (f) as (g).

2022—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1103(a)(1)(A), inserted “supporting and” before “coordinating” and substituted “mental health crisis intervention services, including appropriate follow-up services,” for “crisis intervention services”.

Subsec. (b)(4), (5). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1103(a)(1)(B)–(D), added pars. (4) and (5).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1103(a)(2)(B), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (f).

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1103(a)(3), added subsecs. (d) and (e).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1103(a)(4), amended subsec. (f) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $7,198,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022.”

Pub. L. 117–328, § 1103(a)(2)(A), redesignated subsec. (c) as (f).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Pilot Program on Innovative Technologies

Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title I, § 1103(b), (e), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5639, 5640, provided that: Pilot Program on Innovative Technologies.— In general.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall, as appropriate, carry out a pilot program to research, analyze, and employ various technologies and platforms of communication (including social media platforms, texting platforms, and email platforms) for suicide prevention in addition to the telephone and online chat service provided by the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Report.—Not later than 24 months after the date on which the pilot program under paragraph (1) commences, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall submit to the Congress a report on the pilot program. With respect to each platform of communication employed pursuant to the pilot program, the report shall include— a full description of the program; the number of individuals served by the program; the average wait time for each individual to receive a response; the cost of the program, including the cost per individual served; and any other information the Secretary determines appropriate. Definition.—In this section, the term ‘Suicide Prevention Lifeline’ means the suicide prevention hotline maintained pursuant to section 520E–3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c).”