H.R. 8367 — Answering the Call Act of 2026

This section amends Section 520E–3 of the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct outreach activities addressing barriers to first responder use of the 9-8-8 national suicide hotline (i.e., stigma, lack of tailored services, and privacy concerns). Such activities include (1) programs with first responder organizations to promote the hotline; (2) grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements for public awareness campaigns integrated into first responder training, wellness policies, and labor organization resources; (3) data collection on first responder use, with privacy protections emphasizing aggregated, de-identified trends; and (4) training programs for hotline staff incorporating evidence-based practices specific to first responders (defined as law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and public safety telecommunicators). This section further directs the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use to conduct a three-year pilot program for collaboration among the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Fire Administration, and first responder organizations to tailor such outreach, with a report to Congress on results due not later than three years after enactment.