Recent Mental Health Legislative Efforts

The Mental Health Parity Act – HB 1013 from the 2022 Legislative Session

The Mental Health Parity Act addressed mental healthcare parity by private and public insurers; mental healthcare workforce incentives; procedural reform for law enforcement officers dealing with mentally ill persons; collaboration and information sharing amongst state agencies; jail diversion programs; and more. Furthermore, it made Mental Health Courts eligible for funding under the County Drug Abuse Treatment and Education Fund. Click here for more information.

 

Amended Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations

Council of Accountability Court Judges

FY 2025

  • Increase funds to annualize one Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) statewide coordinator position ($32,444)

Department of Administrative Services

FY 2025

  • Increase funds for supplemental, illness-specific insurance for first responders diagnosed with occupational post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ($200,000)

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

AFY 2024

  • Increase funds for an additional 30-bed jail-based competency restoration program pilot ($664,462)
  • Increase funds for a pilot to implement transportation alternatives for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis ($750,000)

FY 2025

  • Increase funds for an additional 30-bed jail-based competency restoration program pilot in Dodge County ($1,993,384)
  • Increase funds for the expansion of the Cobb County jail-based restoration program ($500,000)
  • Increase funds for a behavioral health crisis center in DBHDD's Region 1 ($9,481,532)
  • Increase funds to annualize the operations of a behavioral health crisis center in Fulton County ($3,792,613)
  • Increase funds to annualize the operations of a behavioral health crisis center for the Community Service Board of Middle Georgia in Dublin ($1,586,056)
  • Increase funds to annualize the operations of a behavioral health crisis center for Serenity Behavioral Health Systems in Augusta ($1,221,116)
  • Increase funds for behavioral health services for Georgians experiencing homelessness in the Atlanta area ($200,000)
  • Increase funds for operations of the new Gateway child and adolescent crisis stabilization unit in Savannah ($125,000)
  • Increase funds for the Georgia Apex Program to expand mental health services in schools. ($1,000,000)

 

 


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