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SB 36

Public Safety - 9-1-1 Trust Fund - 9-8-8 Suicide Prevention Hotline

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Malcolm Augustine and 1 co-sponsor

SB 36 dedicates Maryland 9-1-1 Trust Fund revenue to expand the 988 suicide crisis hotline's capacity, staffing, and crisis intervention services statewide.

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 14
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Bill Summary · SB 36

Legislative bill overview

SB 36 establishes dedicated funding mechanisms within Maryland's 9-1-1 Trust Fund to support the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a national three-digit hotline for suicide prevention and mental health crises. The bill ensures sustainable, direct revenue streams to improve staffing, training, and service capacity for crisis response services in the state.

Why is this important

Suicide remains a leading cause of death in Maryland, and the 9-8-8 hotline provides immediate, accessible intervention for people in crisis. Dedicated funding guarantees the service can handle call volume surges, employ trained counselors, and reduce emergency room burden by addressing mental health crises before they escalate to 911 calls. This represents a preventative public health investment with measurable life-safety outcomes.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding source clarity: The mechanism for revenue allocation within the 9-1-1 Trust Fund may shift resources from traditional emergency dispatch services, potentially raising questions about prioritization between crisis lines and emergency infrastructure
  • Administrative overhead: Questions about whether sufficient funding reaches direct counselor services versus administrative costs, given hotline management complexity across counties
  • Measurement and accountability: Limited explicit performance metrics specified for how the state will track outcomes, cost-effectiveness, or call-handling improvements funded by this allocation

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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