Wicks: We Can’t Build a Safer Georgia Without Mental Health at the Center

By: Sen. Kenya Wicks (D-Fayette)

Behind every statistic is a story: a child struggling in silence, a mother overwhelmed, a veteran left without support. Mental health affects all of us, whether directly or through someone we love. That's why I've made it my mission to bring this conversation out of the shadows and into the center of Georgia's policymaking. Our mental health shapes how we care for one another, how we perform on the job and how our children learn and grow. I think about the mother in Forest Park navigating postpartum depression, the teenager in Lovejoy facing anxiety and the veteran in North Fayette recovering from PTSD. Their stories remind me that supporting mental health strengthens every part of our state.

Thousands of Georgians utilize mental health resources each day. In 2024, more than 200,000 Georgians called the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. That's more than the number of passengers who pass through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on a typical day. These statistics are why I will keep advocating for Georgia's Behavioral Health Crisis System, including our statewide Community Service Boards and Crisis Stabilization Units, which offer walk-in care when needed most.

As we recognize Suicide Prevention Month and Addiction Awareness Month this September, I'm committed to making sure no one in Georgia faces their struggles alone. That is why I supported two House bills that expand access to mental health care across our state.

House Bill 68, the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, includes critical youth and adult services funding. Beginning this past July, Georgia set aside more than $5 million to improve crisis stabilization centers in Macon and Savannah and nearly $58 million to support addiction recovery. These investments help people heal and build a healthier, more resilient Georgia.

We didn't stop there, however. Our state is also investing in mental health for Georgia students. We allocated $19.5 million to expand school-based mental health services and nearly $7 million to help schools hire student advocacy specialists. These investments prove Georgia understands that mental health today builds a stronger tomorrow. It supports parents in Jonesboro, reminds students at Riverdale High and Mundy's Mill High School that someone is in their corner and gives young people across our state the tools they need to cope.

Mental health and public safety are connected, which is why I also supported House Bill 268. The bill funds student advocacy specialists who can spot problems early and support students before mental health concerns become emergencies. HB 268 also improves emergency response. Georgia schools from Fayetteville Elementary to Forest Park High must now implement mobile panic alert systems so staff can quickly notify local and state responders. Schools must also provide updated digital floor plans to law enforcement so that our children are as safe as possible from bell to bell each school day.

While the bill moves our schools in the right direction, leaders in our state's majority party had the chance to address gun violence, and they didn't. They refused to pass even the most basic gun safety reforms. As a mother and a veteran, I know we can't talk seriously about safety without talking about the weapons that continue to end innocent lives. Georgia needs stronger gun laws.

Together, these bills reflect a bipartisan commitment to building systems that uplift, protect and heal. They are a promise to my constituents in the 34^th Senate District and our state that their mental health matters. We are no longer waiting for a catastrophe to strike before we respond. Instead, we are building a system that meets people where they are and helps them move forward. Mental health is essential to every citizen, regardless of demographics or financial status, and I am honored to serve and fight for these priorities on your behalf. I will continue advocating for a Georgia that cares for every mind and every life.

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Sen. Kenya Wicks represents the 34^th Senate District, which includes portions of Clayton and Fayette Counties. She may be reached by email at [email protected].

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