FCC approves georouting for 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, clearing the way for more localized care

Source: ABC News

October 17, 2024, 2:55 PM


The Federal Communications Commission unanimously voted Thursday to approve new rules requiring all wireless carriers to implement georouting for calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in a move it says will help "save more lives."

"Time and again, across many different communities, I have heard stories of how important the 988 Lifeline is for individuals in need of support," Commissioner Anna Gomez said during the FCC's Thursday meeting. "Today we affirm the experiences of these individuals and take steps to enhance the lifesaving capability of this service."

"Doing everything we can to ensure that individuals in a crisis can receive the support they need saves lives and is simply good policy," she added.

When a person calls 988, that call is routed to one of the Lifeline's 200-plus crisis centers around the United States. The new rules will require carriers to route calls based on where the call was placed, allowing for a more localized response. Since the three-digit number launched in July 2022, it has been using area code-based call routing.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/fcc-approves-georouting-988-lifeline-calls/story?id=114898651