9–8–8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act

The 9-8-8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act (H.R. 498) aims to protect the national 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline from cyberattacks and service disruptions. The bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to coordinate with cybersecurity experts to secure the network and mandates that crisis centers and network administrators quickly report any security vulnerabilities or incidents.

For citizens, this legislation is designed to ensure that the 9-8-8 lifeline remains available 24/7 without the risk of technical outages caused by hackers, which previously occurred during a 2022 cyberattack. By strengthening these digital defenses, the bill seeks to guarantee that individuals in mental health distress can always reach life-saving support and that their sensitive information remains protected.