Treatment for Teen Suicidal Ideation in Georgia
- Mental Health Services
Hearing your child say they don’t want to be alive, or finding it in a journal or text, can shake you to your core. Please know two things: you’re not alone, and there is real help. Perry Behavioral Health provides structured, compassionate residential treatment for middle and high schoolers experiencing suicidal thoughts, once any immediate safety crisis has been addressed.
If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Mental Health Services
Understanding Suicidal Ideation in Teens
Suicidal ideation means thinking about, considering, or planning suicide. It ranges from passive thoughts (“I wish I could disappear”) to active thoughts involving intent or a plan. Any of these deserves to be taken seriously.
It’s more common than many parents realize. In the CDC’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 20% of U.S. high school students said they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. Girls and LGBTQ+ teens reported higher rates.
Suicidal thoughts are usually a sign of deep emotional pain, often connected to depression, anxiety, trauma, bullying, identity struggles, family conflict, or substance use. With the right support, teens can and do get through this.
- What We Help With
Conditions We Treat
Persistent sadness, irritability, withdrawal, and hopelessness that affect school, friendships, and family life.
Worry, panic, avoidance, and physical symptoms that keep teens from living fully.
Mood episodes that swing between highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).
Thoughts of death or suicide that need compassionate, structured support after any immediate safety concerns are addressed.
Adolescence is a time of discovering who you are. When that process becomes overwhelming, it can bring distress, conflict, and isolation. We help teens explore identity safely and without judgment.
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When teens use substances to cope, we treat the underlying mental health needs driving it. Learn more.
- Our Approach
Warning Signs to
Watch For
Talk
- Talking or writing about death, dying, or wanting to die
- Saying they feel hopeless, trapped, or like a burden
- Saying things like “It doesn’t matter anymore” or “You’d be better off without me”
Behavior
- Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities
- Giving away belongings or saying goodbye
- Increased alcohol or drug use
- Sleeping much more or less than usual
- Searching online about suicide
- Self-harm, such as cutting
Mood
- Depression, irritability, or sudden rage
- Intense anxiety or agitation
- Sudden calm after a period of deep depression
- Treatment Plans
Our Campus
Length of Treatment
Many clients benefit from treatment for 3 to 4 months (90 to 120 days), allowing for significant stabilization while balancing their life and academics, ensuring a positive path forward without long-term disruptions.
Cost and Insurance
Perry Behavioral Health currently operates as private pay and out-of-network with insurance providers. Our admissions team can walk through cost expectations and benefit verification.
- Our Program
How We Help Teens With Suicidal Thoughts
A safe, structured environment
Teens live on our Perry campus in gender-specific housing, with around-the-clock staff support and a predictable daily routine.
Process-based group therapy
In groups separated by gender and grade level, teens talk honestly about what they’re carrying, and discover they’re not the only ones who have felt this way.
Individual therapy and safety planning
One-on-one sessions help teens understand what drives their suicidal thoughts, learn coping strategies, and create a personal safety plan they can use at home.
Treating the underlying causes
We address co-occurring depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma, identity struggles, and substance use.
Family therapy
Families learn how to talk about suicide, recognize warning signs, and support safety at home through weekly family therapy and monthly family weekends.
Hope and connection
School, art therapy, clubs, and weekend outings remind teens what life can feel like again, and give them reasons to keep going.
- Structure That Feels Like Life, Not Treatment
A Day at Perry Behavioral Health
Weekdays
- Morning: Breakfast, followed by a community group to set the tone for the day
- Late Morning: Gender-specific group therapy (separate boys’ and girls’ groups)
- Midday: Online schooling, so academics stay on track
- Afternoon: Grade-level group therapy (middle school and high school separated)
- Evening: Dinner, followed by downtime — art therapy, clubs, and activities based on what your teen actually enjoys
Weekends
Weekends stay structured, with outings to nearby parks and community activities — a rhythm that feels more like normal life than a treatment facility.
- Our Admissions Process
Getting Started with Adolescent Mental Health Treatment in Georgia
Perry Behavioral Health is currently private pay and works will all major health insurance companies. Our admissions team can walk you through costs, benefit verification, and what to expect from the first call through move-in day.
- Step 01
- Step 02
- Step 03
- Step 04
Get quick answers about admissions, programs, and our location by contacting a representative today.
- Verification of benefits
FAQs
Is Perry Behavioral Health a crisis center?
No. We’re a residential treatment program. If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911, go to the ER, or call or text 988.
Will asking my teen about suicide make it worse?
No. Research shows that asking directly doesn’t increase risk, and it can help your teen feel heard and open up.
My teen was just discharged from a psychiatric hospital. What's next?
Residential treatment is a common next step when a teen needs more support than outpatient therapy can provide. Call our admissions team to talk it through.
Can teens recover from suicidal thoughts?
Yes. With treatment and support, most teens who experience suicidal ideation go on to feel better and build meaningful lives.
Will we be involved in treatment?
Yes. Family participation is required, with weekly sessions and monthly family weekends.
Take the First Step
Call (478) 778-7546 for a confidential conversation with our admissions team.
- Begin Treatment Today
An Honest Alternative
We know the reputation some adolescent programs carry — isolating kids from their families, keeping them away for long stretches with little transparency. That’s not what we do. Perry Behavioral Health is built on openness: with your child, and with you. We show you the real process, not a polished version, because trust is what makes treatment work.