Passed by the Georgia General Assembly in 2025, House Bill 268 requires additional behavioral health supports for elementary and middle schools that have received a one-star or two-star School Climate Star Rating. As part of this effort, the law requires that no less than 95 percent of school personnel in identified schools receive two (2) hours of student behavioral health awareness training each school year approved by DBHDD.
To assist schools in meeting this requirement, DBHDD, GaDOE and The David Ralston Institute for Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities have partnered to develop a statewide training approach that equips school staff with the knowledge and skills to recognize behavioral health concerns and respond appropriately. Improve the climate of the school.
Schools should designate up to three certified staff to attend a 3-hour train-the-facilitator session hosted regionally by the Ralston Institute. Following this training, schools must deliver behavioral health awareness training to at least 95% of all school personnel and plan for completion prior to the start of the next school year.
Ensuring that school personnel are equipped to recognize signs of behavioral health challenges and respond appropriately will help connect students to the support they need earlier and strengthen the overall safety and climate of our schools. For questions or requests for assistance, please contact the Ralston Institute at ralstonbhs@uga.edu
Train the Facilitator Workshop Schedule
| Host | Date/Time | Location | Contact to RSVP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast GA RESA | 7/7/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Foothills School 2415 Suite B Jefferson Rd Athens, GA 30607 |
Laurie Allison |
| Middle GA RESA | 7/8/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Central Georgia Technical College Sonny Watson Health Science Bldg Rm.113-A 80 Cohen Walker Dr. Warner Robins, GA 31088 |
Juli Alligood |
| Southwest GA RESA | 7/9/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Southwest GA RESA Office 570 Martin Luther King Jr Rd Camilla, GA 31730 |
Jason Miller |
| North GA RESA | 7/10/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Cherokee County Board of Education 1205 Bluffs Parkway Canton, GA 30114 |
Steve Miletto |
| First District RESA | 7/17/2026 1–4 p.m. |
First District RESA Office 149 South Register St Metter, GA 30439 |
Richard Smith |
| Central Savannah River Area RESA | 7/21/2026 1–4 p.m. |
National Hills PLC 1215 Northwood Road Augusta, GA 30909 |
Debbie Alexander |
| Griffin RESA | 7/22/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Griffin RESA Office 440 Tilney Ave Griffin, GA 30224 |
Dr. Stephanie Gordy |
Train the Facilitator Sign Up Links
| Host | Date/Time | Location | Link for Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast GA RESA | 7/7/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Foothills School 2415 Suite B Jefferson Rd Athens, GA 30607 |
Course Catalog Link-search HB 268 |
| Middle GA RESA | 7/8/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Central Georgia Technical College Sonny Watson Health Science Bldg Rm.113-A 80 Cohen Walker Dr. Warner Robins, GA 31088 |
Professional Learning-Upcoming Classes-Go down to July 8 HB 268 Course |
| Southwest GA RESA | 7/9/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Southwest GA RESA Office 570 Martin Luther King Jr Rd Camilla, GA 31730 |
Professional Learning-Upcoming Professional Learning-Course Catalog-Search HB 268 |
| North GA RESA | 7/10/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Cherokee County Board of Education 1205 Bluffs Parkway Canton, GA 30114 |
Professional Learning Link-course catalog-search HB 268 |
| First District RESA | 7/17/2026 1–4 p.m. |
First District RESA Office 149 South Register St Metter, GA 30439 |
Browse Events-Events-Go down to July 17 and click on course |
| Central Savannah River Area RESA | 7/21/2026 1–4 p.m. |
National Hills PLC 1215 Northwood Road Augusta, GA 30909 |
Cut and paste the link below to go directly to a CSRA RESA registration form: |
| Griffin RESA | 7/22/2026 1–4 p.m. |
Griffin RESA Office 440 Tilney Ave Griffin, GA 30224 |
Professional Learning Link-Register for a class-course catalog-search HB 268 |
FAQs for Required HB 268 Behavioral Awareness Training
Who is required by Georgia law to attend?
- Georgia state law requires All public schools serving students in grades K–8 that earned a one- or two-star rating on the most recent Georgia School Climate Survey (2024 Data, list included).
Who should schools send to the training?
- Schools may send up to three team members to attend the Train-the-Facilitator session. Legislation then requires that this training then be re-delivered to at least 95% of the entire classified and certified staff at the school.
When are the Train-The-Facilitator Sessions?
- There are 7 trainings in July, 2026. They are being hosted by regional RESAs.
Which July training must schools attend?
- Schools may select any of the seven available RESA-hosted training sessions, based on space availability (A list of dates, times, and locations is above.
Why are attendee email addresses important?
- Accurate email addresses are essential to ensure participants receive all training-related communications and access to digital materials. Additionally, this will allow for compliance follow up that will be provided to the Georgia Legislature, DBHDD, and DOE.
What is the cost of the training?
- There is no cost for training and materials.