NEWTOWN, Conn. – The Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) recently affirmed Sandy Hook Promise’s Say Something Anonymous Reporting System as a viable option to help Georgia schools meet the new state requirements under the Education; Safety, Health, and Well-Being of Students and School Communities bill (House Bill 268).
House Bill 268, a portion of which is modeled on Sandy Hook Promise’s SAVE Students Act, passed with bipartisan support on March 31, roughly six months after the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in September 2024. As part of the new law, all Georgia school districts are required to implement an anonymous reporting system by July 2026.
A letter from GEMA Deputy Director of Homeland Security Linda Criblez stated the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System meets all of the requirements of an anonymous reporting system set forth in House Bill 268 – at no cost to schools. A copy of GEMA’s announcement can be downloaded here.
“When kids feel safe at school and know their peers and teachers have their backs, it creates an environment where they can truly thrive. This sense of community and security isn’t just nice to have – it’s directly linked to their ability to succeed in the classroom. The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System and its accompanying programming creates safe and supportive school environments where everyone looks out for one another. Not only does this help prevent violence and other harmful acts, it also better equips students to focus on their studies and reach their full academic potential,” said Crystal Garrant, Chief Program Officer with Sandy Hook Promise.
“Students are often the first individuals to notice concerning behaviors or other harmful situations among their peers. It could be that a classmate is being bullied, or perhaps displaying signs of self-harm, or making threats against their school. That’s why the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System was created – to allow students to share these concerning behaviors safely and privately with a trained crisis counselor who can coordinate appropriate assistance before a tragedy can occur,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and co-CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
“We thank the Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency for their affirmation of the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System. Together we can protect young lives in Georgia by providing school communities with access to this vital lifeline. We are honored to support Georgia with our system that has already proven to help students across the country,” Hockley added.
The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System is the only nonprofit system and National Crisis Center that exclusively serves schools. More than 5,000 public schools, regional and state agencies, private school campuses, and charter networks use this system, in addition to statewide availability in North Carolina. The system has also been influential in supporting other statewide anonymous reporting systems such as PA Safe2Say Something.
Nationally, the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System protects approximately eight million youth and adults. School communities can submit a concern on a website, through a free mobile app, via text message, or by calling the telephone hotline.
To date, more than 327,000 concerns have been submitted since the system was launched nationwide in 2018. At least 18 credible school shootings have been prevented, as well as more than 1,000 young lives saved from suicide, among countless other acts of prevented violence.
Sandy Hook Promise developed the system and its training on recognizing warning signs as part of its mission to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. A core belief of the organization is that financial limitations should never stand in the way of creating safe and supportive school environments. Funding from generous philanthropic partners supports the implementation of the system in school districts nationwide.
For more information about programs that are proven to prevent violence, as well as resources for educators, families, and communities, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
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Nick Dmitrovich | [email protected] | 203-304-9780 Ext. 279