Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

🎓 Congratulations to our 2025 2Gen Program graduates!

Last week, three DBHDD team members from across Georgia celebrated the completion of the 2Gen program. Please join us in recognizing this year’s graduates:
• Nelsondria Brown, West Central Georgia Regional Hospital
• Todd Jones, Region 4
• Mandrell Carter, Region 2

The event was made even more special by the support of colleagues and fellow 2Gen alumni, including Peter Baker, LaTonya Williams, and Gwen Craddith.

We are proud of these team members for their commitment to professional growth, leadership development, and advancing positive outcomes for the individuals and communities we serve.

Congratulations to Claratel Behavioral Health Services on the ribbon cutting of its new administrative building dedicated to housing case management services!

This new space brings Claratel's housing case workers together under one roof, strengthening collaboration and enhancing support for Georgians living with serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Stable housing is a critical foundation for recovery, and Claratel continues to demonstrate its commitment to ensuring individuals receive the support they need to live successfully in their communities.

We commend Claratel for stepping up to meet this need and helping ensure that Georgians with SPMI do not fall through the cracks. Together, we are building stronger pathways to recovery, independence, and hope.

We're Hiring! Join us for a hiring event at Georgia Regional Hospital Savannah on Thursday, June 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. On-the-spot interviews and job offers for maintenance, environmental services, and food service teams.

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? 👇