Suicide Prevention

About the Suicide Prevention Program

The Suicide Prevention Program is located within the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), Division of Behavioral Health, Office of Prevention Services. Through a multi-faceted approach of suicide prevention trainings, public policy, evidence-based interventions, and postvention strategies, the Suicide Prevention team works with government agencies, behavioral health organizations, community partners, non-profit organizations, educators, clinicians, and law enforcement to mitigate suicide attempts and suicide deaths in our state. 

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in Georgia according to 2017 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The suicide burden in Georgia stretches from rural to urban areas and touches every racial and age group.

Georgia is a leader in developing community and public policy solutions to suicide. In early 2019, suicide prevention stakeholders across the state, convened to learn and discuss the complexity of suicide, suicide prevention in Georgia, and priority goals and strategies to address the burden of suicide.

Many of Georgia’s top minds and leaders in suicide prevention gathered, committed to forging a new path forward with recommended goals, objectives, and strategies for all stakeholders to invest their time and energy. Committees focused on Prevention in Healthcare; Wellness, Resiliency, and Recovery; Safe Messaging; Evidence-Based Prevention and Interventions; Training and Technical Assistance; and Postvention. The final document of the proposed 2020-2025 Georgia Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan is still being drafted and is planned for a spring 2020 distribution.

Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grant

The Garrett Lee Smith State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Program (GLS) is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) from September 2024 through September 2029. The program will empower Georgia youth to build hope for the future and counter the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide prevention. Through safe, consistent messaging around suicide, clinical and community-based resources, resiliency building skills and tangible tools, youth will become advocates for their own mental health.

The program will serve youth, ages 10 to 24, in Newton, Rockdale, Meriwether and Carroll counties and surrounding areas, as well as students under age 24 on the campus of Clark Atlanta University. The four target counties selected all have suicide death rates that meet or exceed the state and national average for youth suicide deaths.

Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) for Suicide Prevention

Leveraging SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework to address the public health problem of suicide in Georgia, this prevention program in its first year is working with select providers to target high suicide burden counties in each region of the state using data-driven, research-validated, evidence-based strategic approaches.

The objectives of the program are to increase the availability of suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings, decrease perceived stigma of suicide, increase awareness of suicide prevention and intervention strategies, increase the use of evidence-based suicide prevention strategies, and collaborate with existing and/or emerging suicide prevention coalitions to achieve local objectives that contribute to state-level positive outcomes.

Georgia Suicide Prevention Coalitions

Suicide prevention coalitions can be an integral part of suicide prevention efforts in Georgia. Operating as community-based initiatives, coalitions extend the reach of evidence-based prevention, intervention, and postvention resources and services to reach underserved communities and populations.

The suicide prevention program  is committed to supporting the development and expansion of suicide prevention coalitions and provides training and technical assistance to support their local efforts.

Suicide Education & Training Projects

Youth Helping Youth Fight Suicide

Several Georgia organizations have come together to produce a series of public service announcements (PSAs) aimed at youth helping youth. The messages include survivors who have attempted suicide and bravely share their stories in dealing with depression, anxiety, and other adolescent issues. Others offer hope and support in this peer-to-peer message to children who may be at risk.

DISCLAIMER: These videos contain descriptions of suicidal feelings and behaviors of youth by youth. These descriptions may cause discomfort and/or trigger suicidal thoughts in some people.  The phone number for the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (1-800-715-4225) is shared on each video for quick access to professional help 24 hours a day.

Raising Awareness of Youth Suicide

The Georgia Child Fatality Review (GCFR) Panel created a series of PSAs to raise awareness of youth suicide. Joining GCFR in this prevention effort are Voices for Georgia’s Children, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Department of Human Services’ Division of Family and Children Services, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

To learn more about the PSAs visit the Georgia Bureau of Investigation press release.

Request Suicide Prevention Training & Technical Assistance

In order to effectively and efficiently respond to technical assistance requests related to program information, training requests, postvention needs, etc. we request that you download the TA request form  (PDF, 395.41 KB) , complete it fully and email it directly to the Suicide Prevention Program Staff at [email protected]

Additional Resources

For further information, contact [email protected]