9–8–8 Connect Act

Improved follow-up care: Crisis centers can use grant funds to provide essential follow-up services, such as well-being check-ins, outreach to ensure engagement in support, and referrals to appropriate levels of care (Section 2, subsection e).

Increased accessibility to emergency services: The bill ensures that all calls and text messages sent to 9-8-8 are transmitted by commercial mobile service providers, including those from non-service-initialized handsets (Section 3, subsection b).

Easier emergency dialing: Multi-line telephone systems will be updated to allow for direct dialing of 9-8-8, similar to 9-1-1 (Section 3, subsection a).

Protections for privacy and autonomy: The bill requires crisis centers to obtain informed consent before providing follow-up services, which includes disclosing the nature of the services and the individual's right to decline or withdraw consent at any time (Section 2, subsection f).

Prevention of coercive actions: The bill mandates that follow-up services must be conducted in a way that does not result in involuntary or coercive interventions unless there is an imminent risk (Section 2, subsection f).