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Lawmaker addresses suicide prevention in schools

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.

Georgia DBHDD

By Georgia DBHDD

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities provides treatment and support services to people with behavioral health challenges and addictive diseases, and assists individuals who live with developmental disabilities.

The agency’s mission is to lead an accountable and effective continuum of care to support people with behavioral health challenges, and intellectual and developmental disabilities in a dynamic health care environment.

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