Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant), as the administrator of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline), commends the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its decision to advance rule-making for geo-routing capabilities for the 988 Lifeline. This vote marks a crucial milestone towards connecting callers in crisis to behavioral health resources in their state or county while safeguarding their privacy.

Currently, calls to the 988 Lifeline are routed based on the caller’s area code and exchange, which can pose challenges for callers whose area code does not match their location. The FCC’s proposal addresses this issue by implementing a geographic routing (georouting) solution for all wireless calls to the 988 Lifeline.

Georouting is a technical solution that the FCC proposes could save even more lives. It enables calls to be routed based on the caller’s location without transmitting precise location information. This groundbreaking approach means that a wireless call to the 988 Lifeline will be directed to a contact center local to the caller based on factors such as the cell tower that initiated the call rather than the area code of the wireless device used.

By directing individuals to local crisis centers, the FCC’s proposal underscores the invaluable role of community-based support organizations in crisis response and empowers counselors to better respond to unique factors and situations. This approach has the potential to decrease unnecessary use of emergency services and law enforcement by increasing reliable and timely access to the 988 Lifeline for individuals experiencing suicidal or mental health crises.

Overall, the FCC’s proposal represents a significant step towards improving crisis response and enhancing access to behavioral health resources for individuals in need. It is a collaborative effort involving the FCC, providers, and community-based support organizations. Vibrant eagerly anticipates collaborating with all stakeholders to guarantee equitable access to emotional support and mental health services.

Please visit here to read the FCC’s press release about their 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline georouting announcement.