On October 16, 2024, Sycamores had the honor of hosting a press conference about the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) vote, the following day, to mandate that all U.S. wireless carriers implement georouting for calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Georouting will connect 988 emergency calls to the crisis support centers closest to the physical location of the caller, instead of routing the calls based on the area code of the caller’s phone.
This was quite an honor for our organization, as the speakers included Congressman Cárdenas, FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel and Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Their visit underscored the national importance of improving access to mental health services through local care centers like Sycamores.
Sycamores President & CEO Debbie Manners and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Jana Lord also addressed the attendees, emphasizing the critical role georouting will play in saving lives. Manners shared, “When someone is experiencing a mental health crisis and needs in-person support, response time is critically important and can make the difference between life and death. Georouting will help shorten mobile crisis response times, ensuring compassionate professionals can reach those in crisis quickly.”
During the event, guests viewed a Spectrum News video that highlighted the essential work of our Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT). Secretary Becerra acknowledged the dedication of our Sycamores team, stating, “There are people who are professional, and by the way very good at what they do, in clearly understanding and connecting with those in need. That makes all the difference.”
We are pleased to share that the FCC vote passed on October 17, 2024, ensuring that georouting for 988 Lifeline calls will soon be a reality across the country. This will lead to faster responses for people in crisis and improve access to life-saving care.
To learn more about this important advancement, read the full FCC press release here and watch the Spectrum News feature on our MCOT team here.
