by Nick Hanzel-Snider
As awareness of the importance of mental health and suicide prevention education grows, more and more US states are enacting legislation requiring such programs in their schools. In April 2025, Georgia passed House Bill (HB) 268, Ricky and Alyssa’s Law, which addresses school safety and student well-being throughout the state, including suicide prevention training for students and staff.
Suicide Prevention for Students
As of the 2026-27 school year, every public school in the state of Georgia must provide at least one hour of evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention training annually to all students in 6th through 12th grades. SOS Signs of Suicide for Students, which is widely used in Georgia schools, meets these standards. In a single class period, SOS teaches middle and high school students how to identify warning signs of suicide and depression and has been shown to reduce suicide attempts by 64% in randomized controlled trials.
Ricky and Alyssa’s Law further stipulates that any such suicide prevention training must include information on:
- Recognizing signs of symptoms of depression and suicide risk,
- Understanding warning signs that someone may be at risk,
- Encouraging help-seeking behaviors for oneself and others, and
- Connecting with supportive adults and resources.
SOS for Students combines educational videos, classroom discussion, depression screening, and response slips to meet all of these requirements and more. The program includes annual refresher lessons, reflects feedback from students and facilitators, offers practical advice on coping skills, spotlights the role of social media, and includes stories of hope and recovery.
| Required by HB 268 |
SOS for Students |
| Recognizing signs of symptoms of depression and suicide risk |
Learn the signs of suicide and depression from real students |
| Understanding warning signs that someone may be at risk |
Hear from suicide prevention experts on identifying risk in oneself and peers |
| Encouraging help-seeking behaviors for oneself and others |
Use the ACT® (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) model to get help |
| Connecting with supportive adults and resources |
Gain confidence in speaking up after identifying concerns |
Suicide Prevention for School Personnel
Ricky and Alyssa’s Law contains provisions mandating annual training in suicide prevention for all certificated public-school personnel. SOS Signs of Suicide for K-12 School Staff builds further on the ACT® model to prepare teachers, counselors, administrators, and more to support students or fellow faculty members who may be struggling with depression or suicide risk. This one-hour, asynchronous training meets all the state’s standards for school personnel training. School staff learn to: acknowledge the signs of depression or suicide they’re seeing in a student and that it’s serious; show the student that they care and can help; and follow school protocol and tell mental health staff their concerns.
Both SOS for Students and SOS for K-12 School Staff are currently used by hundreds of schools across Georgia. Contact us to learn how you can bring SOS Signs of Suicide to your school or district.
