Policy into Practice: Suicide Pre and Postvention Frameworks Aligned with HB 268

Presenters

• Jadeshala Humphries, Georgia Southern UniversityFollow
• Nikita Robinson, Georgia Southern UniversityFollow

First Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

M.Ed.

Year First Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2016

First Presenter's Field of Study

Psychology

Institution Where First Presenter Received Highest Degree

Georgia Southern University

First Presenter's Institution

Georgia Southern University

First Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Jadeshala Humphries is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC) with extensive experience in higher education mental health, crisis intervention, and community engagement. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Outreach and Community Engagement at the Georgia Southern University Counseling Center, where she leads campus-wide prevention initiatives and partnerships that promote student wellness, resilience, and safety. In this presentation, Ms. Humphries draws upon her clinical expertise and administrative leadership to guide participants through HB 268’s implications for suicide prevention and postvention protocols, offering practical strategies that align policy compliance with compassionate care.

Second Presenter's Institution

Georgia Southern University formerly

Second Presenter’s Email Address

limitlessndrconsulting@gmail.com

Second Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

M.Ed.

Year Second Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2014

Second Presenter's Field of Study

Psychology

Institution Where Second Presenter Received Highest Degree

Georgia Southern University

Second Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Nikita Robinson, LPC, CPCS, is the owner and founder of Limitless Counseling and Consultation, LLC. A Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor in Georgia, she brings over a decade of experience serving individuals ages 8 to 99 with diverse mental health needs. Nikita is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and EMDR-trained therapist, offering trauma-informed, evidence-based care to promote healing and growth. Her passion for suicide prevention is evident through her extensive community outreach—having trained over 1,000 individuals in effectively recognizing and responding to suicidal ideation. In addition to her clinical work, she facilitates continuing education and mental health trainings for professionals and community members alike. Known for her energy, compassion, and authenticity, Nikita believes in helping others unlock their potential and embrace limitless possibilities for change.

Location

Vernon

Document Type

Individual Presentation

Primary Strand

Mental Health

Relevance to Primary Strand

This presentation directly supports the Mental Health strand by focusing on the prevention, intervention, and postvention of suicide—one of the most critical areas of student mental health and wellness.

Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics

School Safety

Brief Program Description

This presentation explores how Georgia’s HB 268 strengthens suicide prevention and postvention efforts within schools. Participants will learn how to align existing mental health protocols with the law’s requirements while building compassionate, coordinated systems of support. The session will cover best practices for early identification, staff training, crisis response, and postvention care to reduce risk and promote healing after a loss.

Summary

This session will provide participants with a comprehensive framework for strengthening suicide prevention and postvention protocols in alignment with Georgia’s House Bill 268. The presentation will highlight practical, evidence-based strategies schools can use to meet the law’s requirements while fostering a culture of safety, connection, and mental wellness among students and staff.

Participants will explore the three tiers of an effective suicide response system—prevention, intervention, and postvention—and learn how to integrate them into existing school safety and mental health structures. The session will review key components of HB 268 that require suicide awareness education for students, staff training on recognizing warning signs, and clear procedures for identifying, assessing, and referring students at risk.

In addition to compliance guidance, this presentation will focus on the “how”—offering actionable models and tools schools can implement immediately. Topics will include establishing district-wide suicide prevention policies, developing consistent risk assessment protocols, identifying a parent or guardian contact process, and forming interdisciplinary crisis and postvention teams. Participants will also learn postvention strategies designed to reduce contagion, provide trauma-informed care, and support students, staff, and families following a suicide or attempt.

Evidence

1. Youth Suicide Statistics

   • Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10–24 in the U.S. (CDC, 2024).

   • Early identification and intervention significantly reduce risk

2. Effectiveness of School-Based Prevention Programs

   • Gatekeeper training programs (e.g., QPR, ASIST) improve staff confidence in recognizing and responding to at-risk students

   • Universal education and awareness programs in schools have been shown to increase help-seeking behaviors among students (Stanley et al., 2018).

3. Postvention as Prevention

   • Research indicates that structured postvention efforts following a student suicide can reduce the risk of suicide contagion and support community healing

   • Trauma-informed postvention practices support resilience in students and staff, improving mental health outcomes (WHO, 2021).

4. Policy Integration and Compliance

   • Integrating suicide prevention and postvention into formal school policies enhances implementation fidelity and accountability

   • HB 268 aligns with evidence-based recommendations by promoting staff training, early identification, coordinated response, and follow-up support.

Learning Objective 1

Identify evidence-based strategies for early intervention and crisis response that align with HB 268 mandates.

Learning Objective 2

Develop or refine suicide prevention protocols, including staff training, parent communication, and referral procedures.

Learning Objective 3

Implement postvention practices that promote healing, reduce suicide contagion, and support school communities after a crisis.

Start Date

6-1-2026 1:00 PM

End Date

6-1-2026 2:00 PM

Recommended Citation

Humphries, Jadeshala and Robinson, Nikita, "Policy into Practice: Suicide Pre and Postvention Frameworks Aligned with HB 268" (2026). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 13.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2026/2026/13

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.