Since the 2026-27 school year began, Georgia public schools serving students in grades 6 through 12 must provide annual evidence-based training in suicide awareness and prevention and youth violence prevention. Georgia House Bill 268 also addresses student-led youth violence prevention clubs in schools that permit student organizations. For school and district leaders, planning ahead means understanding each requirement, identifying appropriate resources, and coordinating instruction and student engagement.
Erika's Lighthouse offers free, ready-to-use mental health education and student-led Empowerment Club resources that can support schools as they plan their approach. Schools should review the law and current Georgia Department of Education guidance to determine which approved programs and additional steps are needed for their specific implementation. To see how other states approach this, read our guide to state suicide prevention mandates.
What Does Georgia HB 268 Require?
Georgia House Bill 268, also known as Ricky and Alyssa's Law, was signed in 2025. Among its school safety provisions, the law establishes annual student training requirements and addresses student-led prevention clubs. Under the relevant provisions, since the 2026-27 school year began, public schools serving students in any of grades 6-12 must provide:
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At least one hour of evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention training each school year.
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At least one hour of evidence-based youth violence prevention training each school year.
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A student-led youth violence prevention club in each school that sponsors or otherwise permits student organizations or clubs. The club must be open to all members of the student body, engage in awareness activities related to suicide prevention, violence prevention, and social inclusion, foster student leadership development, and have at least one administrator, teacher, or other school personnel serving as advisor.
The law also addresses school safety policies and anonymous reporting resources separately from these instructional requirements. Because requirements and approved materials may be updated, school leaders should consult the official text of Georgia HB 268 and the Georgia Department of Education's current student suicide and violence prevention guidance when developing local plans.
What does Georgia HB 198 (the Jason Flatt Act) Require?
HB 268 is not Georgia's only suicide prevention law. HB 198, known as the Jason Flatt Act, passed in 2015 and requires annual suicide awareness and prevention training for certified school personnel. In short, HB 198 addresses staff and HB 268 addresses students in grades 6-12, so schools need to plan for both.
Erica's Lighthouse offers self-paced policy and staff training on adolescent depression and suicide that can support a school's staff training plan. Schools should confirm that the training they choose meets the requirements in the current Georgia code and Georgia Department of education guidance.
How Erika's Lighthouse Classroom Education Can Support Schools
Erika's Lighthouse Classroom Education provides structured, educator-facilitated lessons focused on mental health literacy, depression awareness, reducing stigma, and help-seeking. The curriculum is designed to help students recognize when they or a peer may need support and identify trusted adults and pathways to help.
Erika's Lighthouse's Classroom Education curriculum is GaDOE-approved, which allows Georgia schools to put it toward the suicide awareness and prevention instruction requirement without duplicating other classroom instruction. Schools should still confirm current approval status directly with GaDOE and should plan separately for the required youth violence prevention instruction, since Erika's Lighthouse does not provide that component.
Watch the Classroom Curriculum Webinar for Georgia's Educators and Counselors
Why Youth Violence Prevention Instruction Also Matters
HB 268 treats suicide awareness and prevention training and youth violence prevention training as separate annual requirements. The youth violence prevention instruction must address recognizing warning signs, taking threats seriously, seeking help, and reporting potentially dangerous or harmful behavior.
Erika's Lighthouse resources may complement a school's broader prevention approach, but schools should ensure that their selected youth violence prevention program independently addresses the applicable state requirements and is included in the Georgia Department of Education's current guidance or approved materials as required.
Supporting Student-Led Prevention Clubs with Empowerment Clubs
HB 268 calls for a student-led youth violence prevention club in schools that permit student organizations or clubs. The law describes club activities related to suicide prevention, youth violence prevention, and social inclusion, as well as opportunities for student leadership and support from a faculty advisor.
Erika's Lighthouse Empowerment Clubs offer ready-to-use resources that can help schools engage students in mental health awareness and prevention activities, including:
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Advisor handbooks and step-by-step meeting agenda
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Ready-to-use campaigns and activities throughout the school year
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Leadership development opportunities for students
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Grants of up to $500 for eligible student projects
Schools should review their club structure and activities against the law's requirements, including membership access, awareness activities, student leadership, and a faculty advisor. For help getting started, read our Student-Led Club Guide.
Watch the Empowerment Club Webinar for Georgia's Clubs
Plan a District-Wide Approach to Georgia HB 268
A district-wide plan can help schools coordinate grade-level instruction, identify which existing lessons can be used, determine where additional materials are needed, and support consistent implementation across buildings.
1. Review the statute and the latest Georgia Department of Education guidance.
2. Map the required annual suicide awareness and prevention and youth violence prevention instruction across grades 6-12.
3. Confirm that selected programs and materials meet the applicable evidence and state approval requirements.
4. Identify the staff responsible for instruction, policy implementation, and student support pathways.
5. Review existing student clubs and determine how each school will meet the student-led club requirements.
6. Plan how implementation will be documented and how students will be connected with school and community support when needed.
Erika's Lighthouse has created a Georgia HB 268 Implementation Plan to help schools map out a grade-by-grade approach and consider how resources may fit alongside existing instruction and school supports.
A Three-Part Rollout Across Grades 6-12
Erika's Lighthouse Classroom Education is built to support a grade-by-grade rollout that complements existing instruction:
• Year 1: Foundational standalone lessons across grades 6-12. Every student receives a standalone lesson to establish a common base.
• Sequential years: Age-differentiated progression. Later lessons build on signs and symptoms, self-care, and help-seeking at each grade level.
• Full alignment: The program fits alongside your existing mental health task force, staff training, and clubs.
Why Georgia Schools Choose Erika's Lighthouse
Erika's Lighthouse programs are free. Lessons, campaign kits, advisor handbooks, and student leadership materials are provided at no cost to your school or district, and donors fund our programs. See the research behind our programs.
Free Resources for Georgia Schools
Erika's Lighthouse provides free Classroom Education programs and Empowerment Club resources for schools. These materials can help educators plan mental health awareness, help-seeking, and student engagement activities without adding a curriculum purchase cost.
Creating a free Resource Portal account gives educators access to available program materials and resources. Schools should verify state-specific approval and ensure that all components of HB 268 are addressed through their full implementation plan.
