Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Always great to end our week with providers like Unison Behavioral Health!!

Community Service Boards are the backbone of our public “safety net,” and we couldn’t serve Georgians without them.

Commissioner Kevin Tanner recently joined mental health leaders, advocates, providers, and individuals with lived experience at the 30th Annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum hosted by The Carter Center.

This milestone event honored the legacy of Mrs. Rosalynn Carter while focusing on the future of mental health policy and care across Georgia. Commissioner Tanner shared updates on DBHDD’s ongoing investments to strengthen Georgia’s behavioral health system — including expanded supports and resources for individuals interacting with the legal and criminal justice system.

We’re grateful for opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations that advance hope, recovery, and stronger communities across our state.

There’s no better way to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month than by opening Georgia’s newest Behavioral Health Crisis Center (BHCC) in Augusta.

Today, Commissioner Tanner joined local partners and community stakeholders to celebrate the opening of Serenity Behavioral Health System’s new BHCC — a major investment that will expand access to emergency behavioral health and substance use treatment services for those in crisis.

This new state-of-the-art facility represents years of collaboration, planning, and advocacy to strengthen the behavioral health system in the CSRA. Special thanks to Serenity CEO Chuck Williamson for his leadership and long-standing commitment to serving individuals and families in need throughout the region.

Made possible through significant investments from Governor Brian Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly, the new center expands local crisis response capacity with:
✅ 24 Crisis Stabilization Unit beds
✅ 16 temporary observation chairs
✅ Capacity to serve up to 40 individuals at one time

Since 2019, Georgia has invested approximately $1 billion into strengthening behavioral health services statewide — helping build a stronger continuum of care and expanding access to treatment and recovery supports across Georgia.

Read more here: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/press-releases/2026-05-13/new-bhcc-augusta

In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, Camilla, GA Mayor Pro-Tem DeWayne Burley (left) presented a proclamation to Georgia Pines Chief Clinical Officer Nicole Cromer (middle) and DBHDD Region 4 Disability Benefits Specialist Mary Ross (right).

DBHDD thanks Governor Brian Kemp for signing SB 535 into law and for his continued commitment to strengthening Georgia’s behavioral health safety net.

This legislation reinforces accountability, consistency, oversight, and long-term stability across Georgia’s Community Service Boards, or “CSBs,” while helping ensure individuals and families — regardless of zip code — have access to high-quality behavioral health, peer support, recovery, and crisis services.

SB 535 also strengthens collaboration between DBHDD and CSB leadership to better align services with community needs and performance standards as we continue building a stronger, more responsive behavioral health system for all Georgians.

Celebrating National Nurses Day! 💙

At DBHDD, nurses are on the front lines every day, providing compassionate, patient-centered care, offering hope in moments of crisis and supporting recovery for individuals across Georgia.

We are proud of the dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment our nurses bring to the lives they touch every day.

Thank you to our incredible nursing team for all that you do!

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, but let’s be real: your mind deserves attention every single day. If you’re feeling a bit "off" lately, here is your permission slip to:

Unplug: Log off for an hour (yes, even from this app).
Practice Mindful Movement: A 10-minute walk can help you clear your mind.
Ask for Help: If you or someone you know need someone to talk to, call or text 988.

Small steps still move you forward. What’s one thing you’re doing for your peace of mind today? 👇

Commissioner Tanner was honored to join Rotary District 6910—representing clubs across North Georgia—to highlight the powerful partnership between Georgia’s Rotary network and the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust, which Commissioner Tanner oversees as its Trustee.

Over the past year, Rotary District 6910 successfully completed 35 community-based projects aimed at combating the opioid crisis—each supported through grant funding from Georgia's opioid settlement dollars. These projects spanned prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction efforts, including youth education campaigns, Narcan distribution and training, support for first responders, and workforce reintegration programs.

Through this partnership, more than $175,000 in funding was deployed directly into communities, empowering local Rotary clubs to create solutions tailored to their unique needs.

We love to see neighbors helping neighbors, communities stepping up, and partnerships that turn resources into real results.

Thank you to the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust and Rotary District 6910 for your leadership and commitment to building stronger, healthier communities across Georgia.

This morning, our team delivered an opioid overdose reversal kit to Statesboro High School — continuing our work to expand access to Narcan in public schools. Thank you to Speaker Jon Burns and members of the Georgia General Assembly for supporting this initiative to bring life-saving resources to Bulloch County schools and communities across Georgia.

“Equipping our schools with Narcan is a critical, life-saving step in protecting our students and school communities.”

DBHDD and the Northwest Georgia Regional Education Service Agency partnered to distribute opioid overdose reversal kits to schools across Northwest Georgia. This effort is part of a broader statewide initiative launched last fall by DBHDD, Georgia DOE, and the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust.

Narcan Heads to Northwest Georgia Schools in Life-Saving Push Statewide initiative equips every public school with opioid overdose reversal kits