House Bill 198, the Jason Flatt Act-Georgia, was offered by Representative Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) and recently passed by unanimous vote in the Georgia House of Representatives.
The bill is aimed at preventing suicide among Georgia’s school-aged population. Suicide ranks only behind unintentional injury as the leading cause of death for 10- to 24-year-olds. If enacted, the bill requires suicide awareness and prevention training for all certified education personnel in Georgia’s public schools. It also provides for a collaborative effort between the Georgia Department of Education and DBHDD, whereby DBHDD will help to develop a list of approved training materials to be used by school systems.
To learn about Jason Flatt, the namesake of the bill, visit the Jason Foundation website.