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The Utah Senate took a first step Monday toward creating a statewide suicide crisis line that would be available 24/7.
It passed SB37 on 26-0 vote to create a one-year commission that would plan on how to provide and fund such a crisis line.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, said the state now has 19 scattered crisis lines that operate at different times, and some rural areas are served by no such line.
He seeks to create a line with the same number statewide, such as perhaps 611, where people could be connected to qualified mental health professionals at any time.
He said professionals are not quite sure how to do that, which is why the commission is needed.
The bill now goes to the House for consideration.
— Lee Davidson