THE REGULATORY MIX AND BLOG ARTICLES

FCC Proposes 988 As National Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Hotline Number 

At its Open Meeting the FCC voted to adopt a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would designate 988  as a new, nationwide, 3-digit number for a suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. This Notice proposes that calls made to 988 would be directed to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a national network of 163 crisis centers that is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

GAO Report Calls on FCC to Combat Fraud in the High-Cost Program  

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report recommending that the FCC take additional action to prevent fraud and implement an anti-fraud strategy for the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) high-cost program, which provides $4.5 billion annually to support broadband service in high-cost areas.