Mental health community advocacy drove the FCC move to require georouting of calls to the 988 Lifeline, and it would be similar advocacy that would have the agency pursue 988 geolocation, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Thursday. The commissioners approved 5-0 the NPRM that would require georouting of 988 calls to the closest call center based on the caller's location. Rosenworcel said georouting protects privacy while providing a more accurate picture of the caller’s true location than relying on the caller’s area code. She said the georouting approach is based on a consensus in the mental health community. “Going forward, we are going to continue to be guided by the mental health experts,” she said. Rosenworcel added that nationwide wireless providers have made notable headway on 988 implementation since she wrote them in September, urging them to craft georouting implementation plans (see 2309280085). Prior to the vote, Ann Mazur, CEO of Rockville, Maryland-based hotline crisis operator EveryMind, spoke before the commissioners about why georouting is needed. She said providing service and references to local mental health resources is mired in “layers of complexity” due to the lack of georouting as well as relatively little knowledge about 988.

Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will build a system for monitoring 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline contacts and evaluate outcomes as a way of supporting quality improvement, HHS said Tuesday. That was among an array of 988-related federal government pledges in HHS' national suicide prevention strategy and action plans, released Tuesday. The action plan said Housing and Urban Development will disseminate communications and educational material, including information about 988, to housing counseling grantees, fair housing grantees, homeless services organizations and public housing authorities. It said HHS would work with other federal agencies involved in suicide prevention to share information about 988 and other resources at monthly meetings with tribal community officials. It said HHS also would provide support for people diagnosed with both intellectual and developmental disabilities in accessing behavioral health crisis services through 988 centers. In addition, SAMHSA will fund a mobile crisis team locator for 988 centers and the Veterans Crisis Line, as well as develop a toolkit on 988/911 coordination. It said SAMHSA would work with others including the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors and the National Association of State 911 Administrators to increase the number of states with established processes. Moreover, it will collaborate to increase the number of 911 diversion programs to 988 centers. The strategy's recommendations include raising awareness of 988 and other crisis services "with communications that are grounded in the principles of health equity and cultural sensitivity" and greater local collaboration and coordination between 988 call centers and 911 public safety answering points, as well as with police, fire and emergency medical services. The strategy also recommends ensuring 988 crisis counselors "provide effective suicide prevention services to all users, including those with substance use disorders."

The FCC set June 6 as the deadline for comments, replies by July 8, in docket 24-119 about the state of competition in the communications marketplace for the agency’s biannual State of Competition in the Communications Marketplace report to Congress (see 2207050062). The agency sought data, information, and statistics for 2022 and 2023, as well as "any notable trends and developments that have occurred during early 2024," said a public notice Monday.

APCO representatives urged that the FCC seek additional comment on implementing next-generation 911. The FCC sought comment last year on proposals about quickening the adoption of NG911 (see 2309110042). “Proposed rules in this proceeding are focused on the delivery of 9-1-1 traffic, which comprises only the first part of the emergency communications chain,” APCO told Public Safety Bureau staff according to a filing Thursday in docket 21-479. “To take the next step toward achieving public safety’s vision for NG9-1-1, the Commission should initiate a further notice of proposed rulemaking to address interoperability requirements for 9-1-1 service providers and other elements of the emergency communications chain,” APCO said.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau sent a cease-and-desist letter to DigitalIPvoice Wednesday ordering the company to "stop serving as a gateway provider" for an apparently illegal robocall campaign regarding student loan debt. The bureau also notified U.S.-based voice service providers in a public notice that they may block traffic from DigitalIPvoice if the company fails to comply.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Monday urged the Office of Management and Budget to reclassify 911 communicators as first responders in the federal employment classification system. The letter marks National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which is this week. “Our Nation’s 911 operators are among our most vital first responders,” the letter argues: “The professionals who take these calls to set emergency response in motion operate with extraordinary skill in a pressure-filled environment.” Rosenworcel noted her long-standing advocacy of reclassifying the status of 911 communicators (see 1908140017) and that many states have taken that step.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico now have NTIA approval for their digital equity plans following the agency's Thursday approvals of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, New Mexico and Utah’s plans (see 2403280064). All entities are now eligible to apply for the agency's initial round of digital equity capacity grant funding (see 2403290039).

Affordable connectivity program providers will be reimbursed up to $14 for providing the benefit to nontribal households next month, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice Tuesday in docket 21-450 (see 2403040077). ISPs will also be reimbursed up to $35 for serving tribal households and up to $47 for connected devices.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized restoration of net neutrality rules to ensure public safety, during a Monday visit to the Santa Clara County, California, Fire Department. The fire department accused Verizon of throttling its service during the Mendocino Complex Fire (see 1808220059). "When firefighters are going into dangerous environments, they want to know that they have an internet that they can count on," Rosenworcel said. Although states like California have "stepped in and built their own net neutrality laws" since the commission's previous rules were repealed, it's "time that we have a national policy of internet openness," Rosenworcel said: "I think in the aftermath of the pandemic, making sure that there's a watchdog for the broadband connections we all count on, is the right thing to do."

FCC commissioners approved a Further NPRM seeking comment on steps the agency can take to assist survivors of domestic violence access safe and affordable connected car services under the Safe Connections Act. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated the proposal in February (see 2402280053). Comments are due 30 days after Federal Register publication, 60 days for replies, in docket 22-238. "Having access to a car is also a lifeline," Rosenworcel said: "That is why in this rulemaking we propose that survivors should be able to separate lines that connect their cars."