HR 713: Healthcare providers; help promote 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; urge

This resolution addresses how Georgians learn about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a national three-digit number that connects callers to suicide prevention and mental health crisis resources, separate from 911. In Georgia, 988 calls, texts, and chats are answered around the clock by the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL). The resolution urges healthcare providers across the state to include information about 988 in the recorded messages patients and other callers hear. It also urges the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to work with community partners to develop a sample script providers could use for this purpose. It directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the department, the public, and the press.

• Urges Georgia healthcare providers to add information about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to their recorded phone messages for patients and callers.
• Urges the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to work with community partners to create a script providers can use for this purpose.
• Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the department, the public, and the press.
• Does not create any legal requirement, funding, or penalty; it expresses the House's position rather than changing Georgia law.

Healthcare providers in Georgia who use recorded phone messages for patients, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and its community partners, and members of the public who may call providers' offices and could benefit from hearing about the 988 crisis line.

If providers adopt the suggestion, more Georgians calling their doctor's office or another healthcare line could learn about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline as an alternative to 911 for mental health and suicide crises, potentially increasing awareness and use of the service.

• First resolution clause urges healthcare providers statewide to include 988 information in recorded messages given to patients and other callers.
• Second resolution clause urges the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to develop, with community partners, a script providers can use for this messaging.
• Third resolution clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the department, the public, and the press.
• The whereas clauses note that 988 calls in Georgia are answered by the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

1. 2026-03-31House Passed/Adopted (House)
2. 2026-03-31House Third Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-11House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
4. 2025-03-28House Second Readers (House)
5. 2025-03-27House First Readers (House)
6. 2025-03-25House Hopper (House)

• Will Wade (R, HD-009)Primary sponsor
• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)
• Rob Clifton (R, HD-131)
• Inga Willis (D, HD-055)
• Johnny Chastain (R, HD-007)
• Omari Crawford (D, HD-089)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2026

   167 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 8 absent)

   Adopt: House Vote #822

• mental health
• suicide prevention
• 988 crisis line
• healthcare providers
• public health awareness