9–8–8 Implementation Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
Introduced
Summary
Expands and standardizes crisis response services and coverage nationwide. The bill builds 9‑8‑8 and 9‑1‑1 systems, funds crisis call centers and facilities, and requires health plans and federal programs to cover crisis care on par with medical benefits.
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- Families and people in crisis: Adds crisis response services to Medicare and Medicaid and extends coverage to TRICARE, VA benefits, FEHB, and CHIP. Key coverage rules and many program changes take effect about three years after enactment.
- Local providers and responders: Invests in regional and local Lifeline call centers, training, and staffing and creates a Health Center Capital Grants program for crisis receiving and stabilization facilities. It authorizes $1.0 billion for capital grants and $441 million for call center support.
- Systems, outreach, and accountability: Launches a national suicide prevention media campaign with required evaluation and reporting, and forms a federal panel to set 9‑1‑1 dispatcher protocols and data standards to route behavioral health crises to care instead of law enforcement.
*Authorizes billions in new federal funding — including $1.0 billion for capital grants and $441 million for call center support — and would increase federal outlays.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More crisis care covered and protected
If enacted, this bill would require many payers to cover crisis response services and protect people from separate copays or stricter prior authorization rules. Medicaid would have to cover crisis response services three years after enactment, and providers could do presumptive eligibility to speed care. Medicare would cover crisis services and ambulance transport three years after enactment, with payment set at 80% of the lesser of the charge or a new Medicare payment amount. Federal employee, TRICARE, and VA programs would also be required to cover crisis response services under their rules.
Big grants for local crisis centers
If enacted, the bill would provide large grants to build crisis capacity. It would authorize $441 million in FY2027 for regional and local crisis call center grants and $1 billion for capital grants to health centers and crisis facilities. It would also revise pilot program funding to $10 million for FY2025–2026 and $100 million per year for FY2027–2029 to expand community crisis programs.
More crisis workforce training and fellowships
If enacted, the bill would expand behavioral health training to include crisis management and remote practicums. It would authorize $50 million per year for FY2026–2030 and $10 million per year for FY2027–2031 for crisis workforce development. It would also fund minority fellowships with $25 million per year for FY2023–2027 and $10 million per year for FY2027–2031, and require HHS to publish data on crisis service availability in shortage areas.
9-1-1 dispatcher crisis standards panel
If enacted, HHS would convene a national panel, with DOJ consultation, to set training, routing, and data standards for 9-1-1 dispatchers on behavioral health crises. The panel would include clinicians, dispatchers, law enforcement, Tribal and underserved community members and would update recommendations at least every five years. It must develop privacy-safe data standards and tools to route callers to crisis care instead of law enforcement when appropriate.
Medicaid rules, IMD change, and FMAP boost
If enacted, states could expand Medicaid to pay for regional and local lifeline call centers and crisis stabilization services. Starting the day after enactment, certain community clinics and crisis receiving and stabilization facilities would not count as IMDs, which can let Medicaid pay for short-term stabilization. The bill would set the federal match for these lifeline and stabilization services at 85% for the applicable quarter, change baseline timing for match calculations, and provide $5 million to HHS for implementation.
National suicide prevention campaign
If enacted, HHS would run a national suicide prevention media campaign within three years. The campaign would target at-risk groups, make culturally competent ads, test and evaluate effectiveness, and create an educational toolkit for TV and social media. The bill authorizes annual funding for the campaign and other related work and bars using funds for partisan political advocacy.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]
MA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]
WA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]
WA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
VA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov