A Georgia lawmaker is pushing to print the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on student ID badges after two Central Georgia middle schoolers died by suicide this year.
MACON, Ga. — A Georgia lawmaker is pushing to put mental health help directly in the hands of students, citing the deaths of two middle schoolers in Central Georgia by suicide already this year.
State Rep. Tangie Herring, D-Macon, introduced House Bill 1045, the “You Are Not Alone Awareness Act,” which would require public schools to print the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on the back of student ID badges for grades six through twelve.
“If you’re in a crisis and you need help, 988 is a number you can call to get help 24/7,” Herring said.
The bill comes as student mental health concerns continue to grow across Georgia. Herring says the idea is simple — give kids a discreet, stigma-free way to reach out during their darkest moments.
“It’s about making sure that we give kids something that’s accessible, attainable, and that there’s no shame,” she said.
The three-digit number connects callers to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available around the clock. Herring says having it printed on a badge means students always have it on them — no searching, no asking for help out loud.
In 2023, nearly 249 young Georgians between the ages of 14 and 25 died by suicide, said Herring. This year, two students in Middle Georgia have died by suicide.
“In January and February, we’ve already lost two young lives to suicide in Middle Georgia,” Herring said. “So this is an issue that we have to continuously address.”
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Herring says the bill was inspired in part by her own daughter, who came home after COVID describing classmates struggling with anxiety, stress and depression — and unable to find help.
The bill has drawn support from the Georgia Superintendent Association and the Sheriff’s Association.
“I just pray that this bill will help students remember that tomorrow will be a new day,” Herring said. “There’s still hope, and by calling that number they can talk about what they’re going through and get the help that they need.”
The bill passed the House and now heads to the Senate. If signed by the governor, it would take effect across Georgia public schools.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.