SESSION OF 2022
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 19
As Recommended by House Committee on
Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications

Brief*
House Sub. for SB 19 would create the Living, Investing
in Values, and Ending Suicide (LIVES) Act (Act). The Act
would implement the established 988 Suicide Prevention and
Mental Health Crisis Hotline (Hotline) in Kansas. The bill
would outline the responsibilities of the Kansas Department
for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), Hotline centers,
and service providers. The bill would establish the 988
Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Hotline Fund
(Hotline Fund) and direct State General Fund moneys to be
transferred to the Hotline Fund. Additionally, the bill would
provide certain protections from liability for services providers,
create the 988 Coordinating Council (Council), and require an
annual report from the Council to select Legislative standing
committees.

Definitions (Section 2)
The bill would define terms used in the Act, including:
● “Crisis-receiving and stabilization services” would
mean short-term services with capacity for
diagnosis, initial management, observation, crisis
stabilization, and follow-up referral services;
● “Hotline” would mean the 988 Suicide Prevention
and Mental Health Crisis Hotline or its successor
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
 maintained by the federal Assistant Secretary for
Mental Health and Substance Use;
● “Hotline center” would mean a 988 Suicide
Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Hotline center,
designated by KDADS, participating in the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline network to respond to
statewide or regional 988 calls;
● “Mobile crisis team” would mean a team of
behavioral health professionals and peers that
provide professional, community-based, crisis
intervention services, including, but not limited to,
de-escalation and stabilization for individuals who
are experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Such
services would be separate and distinct from 911
emergency responses of emergency medical
services or law enforcement; and
● “NSPL” would mean the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline, the national network of local,
certified crisis centers that provide free and
confidential emotional support to people in suicidal
crisis or emotional distress 24 hours per day, 7
days per week.
Responsibilities of KDADS, Hotline Centers, and Service
Providers (Section 3)
KDADS
In accordance with provisions of 47 CFR §52.200, the
bill would require KDADS, prior to July 16, 2022, to:
● Designate a Hotline center or network of centers to
provide crisis intervention services and care
coordination to individuals accessing the Hotline 24
hours per day, 7 days per week;

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● Create a system for information sharing and
communication between crisis and emergency
response systems and Hotline centers for the
purpose of real-time crisis care coordination
including, but not limited to, deployment of crisis
and outgoing services specific to a crisis response
of 911 emergency responders when necessary;
● Convene mobile crisis teams;
● Develop guidelines for deploying services,
including mobile crisis teams, coordinating access
to crisis-receiving and stabilization services or
other local resources as appropriate, and providing
referrals and follow-ups;
● Coordinate consistent public messaging regarding
the Hotline with NSPL, KDADS, and the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA);
● Require training as established by NSPL for Hotline
center staff for servicing, or transferring to
appropriate specialized centers, high-risk and
specialized populations identified by the U.S.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA);
● Work with the Kansas Department of Health and
Environment (KDHE) and KanCare managed care
organizations (MCOs) to develop plans for
payment for KanCare members and uninsured
services;
● Create an advisory board to provide guidance to
the Secretary for Aging and Disability Services
(Secretary), gather feedback, and make
recommendations for Hotline centers, local
counties, and municipalities regarding the planning
and implementation of the Hotline;

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 ● Hire a statewide suicide prevention coordinator;
and
● Adopt rules and regulations to implement the
provisions of the Act.
The bill would require KDADS, after July 16, 2022, to:
● Consult with the advisory board created by the bill
to provide guidance to the Secretary, gather
feedback, and make recommendations for Hotline
centers, local counties, and municipalities
regarding usage and services provided in response
to calls to the Hotline centers;
● Fund any uninsured services provided in response
to the Hotline if an individual receiving the services
is uninsured or the services or facility are not
covered by an individual’s insurance; and
● Apply for, receive, administer, and utilize any
grants or assistance made available by the federal
government, or other public or private sources for
the purpose of this act.
Hotline Centers
The bill would require the Hotline centers, prior to July
16, 2022, to:
● Establish an agreement with NSPL for participation
within the network of crisis centers;
● Meet any training requirements for Hotline center
staff established by NSPL or KDADS;
● Enter into memorandums of understanding with
local service providers to be deployed according to
KDADS guidelines;

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 ● Coordinate access to crisis-receiving and
stabilization services or other local resources as
appropriate according to KDADS guidelines;
● Provide referrals and follow-ups according to
KDADS guidelines;
● Work with the VA to route calls from self-
designated veterans for the provision of Veterans
Crisis Line (VCL) services; and
● Meet any Hotline center provisions required to be
met after July 16, 2022, if the Hotline center has
the capacity to meet such provisions prior to such
date.
The bill would require Hotline centers, after July 16,
2022, to:
● Receive all calls initiated by a service user dialing
988 from service providers;
● Deploy crisis services, including mobile crisis
teams, according to KDADS guidelines;
● Coordinate access to crisis-receiving and
stabilization services or other local resources as
appropriate according to KDADS guidelines;
● Provide referrals and follow-ups according to
KDADS guidelines;
● Continue to meet training requirements established
by NSPL and KDADS; and
● Continue to work with the VA to route calls from
self-designated veterans for the provision of VCL
services.


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Service Providers
The bill would require service providers, prior to July 16,
2022, to:
● Establish 988 as the unique number for suicide
prevention and mental health crisis;
● Transmit all calls initiated by a service user dialing
988 to the current toll-free access number for
NSPL;
● Complete all changes necessary to implement the
designation of the 988 dialing code; and
● Prepare for the potential collection and remittance
of fees to the Hotline Fund.
The bill would require service providers, after July 16,
2022, to direct all calls initiated by a user dialing 988 to
Hotline centers.

Liability Protection (Section 4)
The bill would provide that each service provider and
seller, and employees, agents, suppliers, and subcontractors
of each service provider and seller, would not be liable for the
payment of damages resulting directly or indirectly from the
total or partial failure of any transmission to an emergency
communication service or for damages resulting from the
performance of installing, maintaining, or providing 988
service, except as provided by the Kansas Tort Claims Act
and for action or inaction that constitutes gross negligence or
willful and wanton misconduct.


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988 Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Hotline
Fund (Section 5)
The bill would establish in the State Treasury the Hotline
Fund to be administered by the Secretary for Aging and
Disability Services (Secretary). The bill would require all
moneys received for the purpose of the Hotline Fund to be
deposited to the credit of the Hotline Fund.
The bill would require, on or before the 10th of each
month, the Director of Accounts and Reports to transfer from
the State General Fund (SGF) to the Hotline Fund interest
earnings based on the average daily balance of moneys in
the Hotline Fund for the preceding month and the net
earnings rate of the Pooled Money Investment Portfolio for
the preceding month.
The bill would require moneys credited to the Hotline
Fund to be used only to pay expenses that are reasonably
attributed to:
● Ensuring the efficient and effective routing of calls
made to the Hotline to an appropriate crisis center;
and
● Personnel; the provision of acute mental health,
crisis outreach, and stabilization services by
directly responding to the Hotline; mobile crisis
response services, including, but not limited to,
services for those persons with intellectual or
developmental disabilities and persons with
behavioral health needs; public promotion; data
collection; and reporting.
The bill would mandate that moneys in the Hotline Fund
would be used for the purposes set forth in the bill and for no
other governmental purposes.
On July 1, 2022, and on each July 1 thereafter, the
Director of Accounts and Reports would be required to
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transfer $10.0 million from the SGF to the Hotline Fund. The
transfers would be demand transfers from the SGF.
Beginning in FY 2023 and for each fiscal year beyond,
the SGF demand transfer required would be reduced by the
certified unencumbered ending balance of the Hotline Fund
for the previous fiscal year. The Secretary, in consultation
with the Director of the Budget, would be required to certify at
the end of each fiscal year the amount of unencumbered
ending balance in the Hotline fund and communicate this
information to the Director of Accounts and Reports, and the
Director of Legislative Research.

Annual Report to the Legislature (Section 6)
On or before the first day of each regular session of the
Legislature, the Secretary would be required to submit a
report to the House Committees on Appropriations; Energy,
Utilities and Telecommunications; and Health and Human
Services and the Senate Committees on Ways and Means;
Utilities; and Public Health and Welfare, or any successor
committees, detailing outcomes related to implementation of
the Hotline in Kansas. The report would be required to
include the following key performance indicators:
● Outcomes related to Hotline implementation in
Kansas;
● Hotline usage in Kansas;
● Services provided in response to Hotline usage;
● Availability of any Federal or other public or private
funding sources for the purpose of administering
this act, along with information on any applications
that were submitted to receive such financial
assistance and the amounts received, if any;


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 ● Estimate of the necessary cost to continue to
support and fund the requirements of this act in the
ensuing fiscal year; and
● Recommendations regarding how costs may be
funded, including through the collection of fees or
charges on telecommunications services, with
estimates of such charges.
Hotline Number of Student Identification Cards (Section
7)
The bill would encourage each school district that issues
student identification cards to students in grades 6 through 12
to include on such identification cards the 988 Hotline
number, or if the Hotline is not in operation, then a local,
state, or national suicide prevention hotline telephone
number.

988 Coordinating Council (Section 8)
Purpose
The bill would create the 988 Coordinating Council
(Council), which would advise the Secretary on the delivery of
988 services, develop strategies for future enhancements to
the 988 system, and distribute funds to organizations
providing services as National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Centers (NSPL Centers).
Membership
To the extent possible, the bill would require the Council
to include individuals with technical expertise regarding
mental health crisis delivery services, call center technology
and services, and any other relevant subject matter.

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 The Council would consist of the following 15 voting
members representing various entities, as indicated:
● Thirteen voting members appointed by the
Governor, as follows:
○ Two members from each of the following:
--Information technology personnel from
government units, NSPL Centers located in
counties with a population of fewer than
75,000, and NSPL Centers located in counties
with a population greater than 75,000; and
○ One member each representing each of the
following:
--Kansas Sheriffs Association, Kansas
Association of Chiefs of Police, Kansas
Association of Community Mental Health
Centers, InterHab, KDADS, Kansas
Department for Children and Families, and
one member recommended by the Kansas
Commission for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing;

● Two voting legislative members appointed by the
Legislative Coordinating Council, as follows:
○ One member of the House Committee on
Appropriations; and
○ One member of the Senate Committee on
Ways and Means.
The Council would also include nine nonvoting members
appointed by the Governor, with one member representing
each of the following:
● Rural telecommunications companies
recommended by the Kansas rural independent
telephone companies;

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 ● Incumbent local exchange carriers with over
50,000 access lines;
● Large wireless providers;
● VoIP providers;
● Recommendation from League of Kansas
Municipalities;
● Recommendation from Kansas Association of
Counties;
● Recommendation from Kansas Geographic
Information Systems Policy Board;
● Recommendation from Kansas Office of
Information Technology Services; and
● A Kansas resident recommended by the Mid-
America Regional Council.
Terms
Except as otherwise indicated in the bill, each voting
member would be appointed for a three-year term and until a
successor is appointed and qualified. Of the 13 voting
members appointed by the Governor, five would be appointed
to an initial term of two years and five to an initial term of four
years, as specified by the Governor.
A voting member would be limited to serving no longer
than two successive three year terms, with a voting member
appointed as a replacement allowed to finish the term of the
predecessor and serve two additional successive terms.
Chairperson
The chairperson of the Council would be selected by,
and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor. The chairperson
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would serve as the liaison between the Council and the
SAMHSA. The chairperson would preside over all meetings
of the Council and assist the Council in effectuating the Act.
Payment of Expenses
The bill would require all expenses related to the Council
be paid from the Hotline Fund.
Member Compensation
The bill would allow members of the Council and other
persons appointed to subcommittees by the Council to
receive reimbursement for meals and travel expenses but
would serve without compensation. Legislative members
would be paid compensation, subsistence allowance, mileage
and other expenses, as provided in KSA 75-3212, when
attending meetings of the Council.
Service Provider Contact Information