Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

08/29/2025

📅 Mark your calendars! August 31 marks the Bus Tour kickoff event!

💪Recovery is Real: Meet peers in recovery, hear personal stories of resilience and celebrate hope together. Access vital recovery and harm reduction services right where you live.

🔗Want a list of Bus Tour stops? Find them here: https://gc4recovery.org/garecoversbustour2025/

08/27/2025

🌟Leading the Way: Georgia DBHDD Forensic Peer Mentors Inspire Change 🌟

👉 Our very own Ladji Ruffin was invited to the Oregon Peer Workforce Conference, hosted by Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. He led a workshop and panel discussion highlighting Georgia’s Forensic Peer Mentor (FPM) Program—a groundbreaking initiative that helps individuals impacted by the criminal justice system find long-term recovery and hope.

✌️Oregon is just beginning its own FPM program, and the demand for Ladji’s insights was so great that his workshop had to be offered twice to accommodate everyone! 🙌

🤝This invitation reflects how DBHDD continues to lead by example, sharing strategies and tools that build recovery and peer support systems across the country.

💪Together, we are shaping a future where justice and recovery go hand in hand.

08/26/2025

🎉Georgia Recovers Bus Tour – Kicking Off August 31!🎉

💪We are proud to join the Georgia Council on Recovery in sponsoring this powerful and impactful event!

🚌 With over 70 stops scheduled throughout September, this bus tour is all about community, connection, and reducing the stigma around recovery. Each stop is FREE and open to the public—welcoming those in recovery, their families, allies, and anyone interested in discovering local mental health and addiction resources.

🔗 To learn more, visit https://ow.ly/6QKB50WLlo0

08/15/2025

Parents, have you heard about our next Teen Summit? 👀 Don’t miss this chance for your kid to hear from inspiring speakers on how to better mental health for Georgia teens!

08/15/2025

The heart of our state hospitals is found in the people who serve there every day. ☺️ DBHDD held a social media contest to spotlight the incredible staff at our five state hospitals. In Columbus, Commissioner Tanner joined contest winner Devron Wright, a Forensic Services Technician, along with Hospital Administrator Marcia Capshaw, Nurse Executive Nicolise Claassens, and Devron’s sister Jakia for a special dinner.

FSTs like Devron embody dedication, humility, and compassion. They provide safety, support, and care to those we serve.

Special thank you to Commissioner Tanner for always being committed to recognizing and elevating these frontline team members whose work is essential to our hospitals.

08/11/2025

🚨Leadership Opportunity in Georgia’s Behavioral Health & Disability Sector🚨

🔴⚫The University of Georgia is seeking a visionary leader for the David Ralston Institute for Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities—a new role with the power to shape services, drive research, and strengthen Georgia’s behavioral health and developmental disability workforce.

🔹 Overseeing research
🔹 Developing an information/resource clearinghouse
🔹 Building collaborations and training opportunities
🔹 Connecting education to workforce pathways
🔹 Advancing evidence-based practices and resources

📍 Athens, GA
📅 Priority Deadline: September 7, 2025
📄 Learn more & apply: https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/438122

Know someone perfect for this role? Tag them or share this post!

08/11/2025

Thank you NAMI Georgia for allowing DBHDD to provide resources at your kick-off event! Best of luck on another year of NAMIWalks!

Thank you DBHDD for being a 2025 NAMIWalks Georgia Presenting Sponsor!

Take your first step today as we walk for Mental Health for All! Join the joy on October 4, 2025. Register, create a team, fundraise or donate today: www.namiwalks.org/georgia!

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

07/29/2025

🌟 DBHDD in the Community! 🌟

👏Last week, Frances Washington, Region 4 Crisis Specialist, and Julie Cosper, Hospital Transition Coordinator, proudly represented DBHDD at the Thomasville Homeless Coalition Community Resource Fair.

📍This important event brought together local partners to support neighbors facing housing instability, food insecurity, and behavioral health challenges.

✅Frances and Julie were there to share resources, provide crisis support information, and connect individuals with the behavioral health services they need to take the next step toward stability.

👏 Huge thanks to the Thomas County CARES / Homeless Coalition for organizing this impactful day. DBHDD is committed to walking alongside communities to ensure that help is accessible when and where it’s needed most.

07/28/2025

Last week, DBHDD hosted community partners and advocates to discuss the implementation of 988 in Georgia. In just three years, 988 has grown into a life-saving gateway, connecting thousands of Georgians to support, safety, and a path forward during their most difficult moments.

💙 And none of this would be possible without YOU — our incredible partners, advocates, and leaders. Your commitment and collaboration have helped make Georgia a national leader in behavioral health crisis response.

By the numbers:
📈 Awareness of 988 jumped from just 16% in 2022 to 84.7% in 2024 – surpassing the national average!
📞 Georgia saw its highest-ever call volume this year – a clear sign that more people are reaching out for help and finding it.

👏Thanks to the folks that make 988 the success it is and to our Governor, First Lady and General Assembly for their continued support of 988.

07/17/2025

🎉 This month marks 3 years of 988—the mental health lifeline that’s here for every Georgian, any time, any day. We’re teaming up with Atlanta United to spread the word and reach more communities, including our Spanish-speaking neighbors. 💬💛

📞 If you or someone you know is struggling, dial 988 for free, confidential support—24/7.

📢 ¡La ayuda está disponible en inglés y en español!

07/16/2025

This July marks 3 years of 988 in Georgia. And it’s working.

Since launching in 2022, 988 has transformed how Georgians access mental health and crisis support. Now, our system is on track to handle more than 20,000 calls, texts, and chats every month, connecting people in distress with trained crisis counselors 24/7.

And when someone needs more than a conversation, 2,000+ mobile crisis teams are dispatched across Georgia each month, bringing in-person care directly to those who need it most.

When we marked the first anniversary of 988 back in 2023, just 16% of Georgians knew what 988 was. Today, thanks to collective outreach and awareness efforts, around 85% of Georgians now know they have access to a free, confidential crisis lifeline.

This progress reflects the dedication of many advocates, providers, partners, and state leaders.

Call. Text. Chat. 988.
Support is just three digits away.

07/15/2025

🤝We were honored to have our staff invited to a training on the Forensic Peer Mentor program provided by the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). This powerful opportunity allowed DBHDD staff to share best practices for supporting forensic peer mentoring and strengthen recovery focused services within juvenile justice settings.

👏Thanks to Ladji Ruffin and the Office of Peer Support for their participation in this training and their steadfast support in expanding life-changing programs. A special thanks to DJJ to their continued partnership!