Becca Balint

09/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/03/2026 13:02

Rep. Balint Introduces Bill to Strengthen Coordination Between 988 and 911 Call Centers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), a member of Congress's bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, and Doris Matsui (CA-7), a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, today introduced the 988 and 911 Integration Act. This bill, which is part of the larger, bipartisan 988 Implementation Act being introduced today by Reps. Doris Matsui (CA-7) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) would establish a panel, jointly convened by the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Justice, to make recommendations on integrating 988 and 911 services. The panel would include representatives from each segment of the crisis care response network including behavioral health professionals, law enforcement officers, and crisis response professionals, and would update its recommendations every five years.

In addition to Reps. Balint and Matsui, the 988 and 911 Integration Act is cosponsored by Reps. Lori Trahan (MA-3), Adam Smith (WA-9), Jennifer McClellan (VA-4), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL).

The panel established by the 988 and 911 Integration Act would:

  • Provide recommendations on technical and operational integration of the 988 and 911 call lines and appropriate response;
  • Establish training, staffing, and protocol requirements to ensure that 988 and 911 dispatch personnel respond appropriately to callers in crisis;
  • Ensure appropriate care is provided to members of particularly vulnerable communities, including Native Americans, veterans and service members; and,
  • Develop data collection and reporting standards to monitor outcomes for individuals who contact 911 and 988 in mental health crisis.
"Especially during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, I'm incredibly proud to be introducing the 988 and 911 Integration Act," said Rep. Balint, a member of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus. "One of my top priorities in Congress is reducing stigma and taking real action to improve access to mental healthcare. We know that mental health affects not just individuals, but also their families and communities, too. This bill, alongside the broader 988 Implementation Act, would help local communities strengthen and better utilize 988 resources-a lifeline for those experiencing a behavioral health crisis-and bridge gaps in care in communities all over the country."
Addressing the mental health and loneliness crises in American communities is one of Rep. Balint's biggest priorities in Congress. She is focused on finding ways to address the systemic drivers of rising costs in the health care system. Rep. Balint has previously introduced health legislation that would increase the mental and behavioral health workforce pipeline to address shortages and provide increased payment for critical health services like EMS personnel providing care on scene.
The 988 and 911 Integration Act has been endorsed by: Active Minds, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), American Association on Health and Disability, American Group Psychotherapy Association, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare (AABH), Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), Connections Health Solutions, Crisis Text Line, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), Easterseals, Inc., Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice, Huntington's Disease Society of America, International Society for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses, Lakeshore Foundation, Legal Action Center, NAMI, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National League for Nursing, Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), SMART Recovery, Steinberg Institute, Sycamores, The American Counseling Association, The Miles Hall Foundation, The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health, The National Federation of Families, The Paramedic Foundation/American College of Paramedics/American Paramedic Association, The Trevor Project, Tourette Association of America, and Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC).
The full text of the 988 and 911 Integration Act can be found here. A one pager can be found here.
A section-by-section summary of the 988 Implementation Act can be found here. A summary of the individual bills within the package, including the 988 and 911 Integration Act can be found here.
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Becca Balint published this content on September 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 03, 2026 at 19:02 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]