New Georgia law requires 988 hotline on student ID badges

Senate Bill 589 mandates crisis hotline number for middle and high school students statewide

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A bill aimed at increasing awareness and access to crisis resources for Georgia students is now officially law.

Senate Bill 589 was signed into law Tuesday and requires public schools to place the 988 suicide and crisis hotline number on student ID badges for students in grades 6 through 12.

The legislation was originally introduced as House Bill 1045 by State Representative Tangie Herring before being amended into the Senate bill.

“It is the You Are Not Alone Awareness Act, putting the 988 number on the back of student badges,” Herring said. “The 988 crisis hotline is a national suicide hotline for people to call in if they are in a crisis.”

Herring says the bill remained unchanged through the legislative process and comes at no additional cost to schools.

School systems are now responsible for adding the number to student IDs by the upcoming fall semester.

“This is just another step moving forward to address mental health and making sure that our students and our families know that they are not in this by themselves,” Herring said. “They are not alone.”

Frederica McClary-Myers, chief clinical officer with River Edge Behavioral Health, says making resources easy to find can make a difference for young people.

“Anything that can kind of promote connection and support advocacy and self help, I think is a great thing,” McClary Myers said. “As we know, studies have shown especially over the last couple of years mental health crisis and concerns has risen in the youth and adolescent population, and so any additional supports, any readily accessible connections, I think is a great thing.”

McClary-Myers says having the number on student IDs can also help normalize reaching out for help.

The law takes effect this fall for schools across Georgia.

Brandy Little, the mother of Ava Little, a 12-year-old Byron Middle School student who took her life in March, says she believes the law is a step forward but more still needs to be done.

“I do think that is great, however, some schools do not have ID badges such as our school,” Little said. “I do think that is a start in the right direction. However, we still have to figure out what is making these kids feel this way. I am still for mental health classes and trying to resolve why kids feel this way.”

She says while this is a step in the right direction, more work is needed to better understand and support students facing challenges.