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Spring is in the Air

Spring Greetings! 

On Tuesday, the 2019 Legislative Session adjourned sine die.  It was a very successful session for DBHDD and the people we serve.  The General Assembly continues to acknowledge and support the work we are doing on behalf of vulnerable Georgians by providing millions of dollars in new funding to support items such as the Apex Program (DBHDD’s school-based mental health program), additional NOW and COMP waiver funding, crisis infrastructure and development, substance use disorder treatment, and the continued build-up of vital core services across our state.  While we tracked many pieces of legislation, two key actions will have notable impact our department: the creation of the Behavioral Health Innovation and Reform Commission and the new Office of Health Strategy and Coordination within the Office of the Governor. 

The Office of Health Strategy and Coordination is empowered to bring together experts from academia and industry along with elected and appointed leaders in an information-sharing forum that will explore new ideas and evaluate the effectiveness of previously enacted and ongoing health programs.  The office will collaborate with both health related and non-health related agencies.  It also has the authority to evaluate proposed certificate of need (CON) and State Health Benefit Plan updates. We welcome the opportunity to accelerate Georgia’s focus on data-based decision-making.

During the session, I had the opportunity to work jointly with Governor Kemp, Lt. Governor Duncan, Speaker Ralston, and Rep. Kevin Tanner on the Behavioral Health Innovation and Reform Commission initiative.  The commission is charged with conducting a comprehensive review of Georgia’s behavioral health system and making recommendations for innovation. 

In the enabling legislation, the General Assembly recognized the significant transformation that our system has achieved over the last decade.  I am very proud of this transformation and of the efforts of our team of providers, advocates, and DBHDD staff who have led the way for dramatic improvements in our system, the array of services we offer, and the quality of care we provide to the people we serve. 

As we move toward the conclusion of the settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the commission will play an important role in the health care environment of the future.  It serves as evidence that Georgia can exit federal oversight and adopt local strategies for transparency and accountability. As we embrace our next phase of system growth and development, we have a great opportunity to serve by sharing our expertise and knowledge of evidence-based practices.  The commission’s work will stretch over several years and will be composed of 25 members, including a wide range of experts across human service systems. Appointments will be made by the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.  Among those represented on the commission will be psychiatrists, providers, community service boards, advocates, clinicians, law enforcement, educators, judges, and more.  I, along with other commissioners, will serve as an ex-officio member. 

The commission will examine conditions, needs, and challenges in Georgia, as well as best practices and experiences (including what is working in other states), and report annually to the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker.  I look forward to working with the members of the commission. I am hopeful that those who are selected to serve will be forward-thinking in their approach to future services and support the investments required to deliver quality care.

This is an exciting time in the healthcare landscape, and I am grateful for opportunities to embrace innovation and lead Georgia’s public safety net into the ever-evolving future environment.

You can read more about the purpose and scope of the commission here.

Judy Fitzgerald Commissioner, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

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DBHDD On The Move – March 2019

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Commissioner JFitzgerald Department News

Introducing My GCAL

Greetings and welcome to (almost) spring, whether the temperature agrees or not!  We have really hit the ground running this year, and it is hard to believe that we are only two months into 2019.  Thursday is “Crossover Day” at the Capitol, which signals the last day for bills to cross over from one chamber to the other, providing a path to become law.  Health care has been a priority in 2019, and we are grateful for the relationships we have built that allow us to serve as a resource to Governor Kemp and members of the General Assembly.  

Greetings and welcome to (almost) spring, whether the temperature agrees or not!  We have really hit the ground running this year, and it is hard to believe that we are only two months into 2019.  Thursday is “Crossover Day” at the Capitol, which signals the last day for bills to cross over from one chamber to the other, providing a path to become law.  Health care has been a priority in 2019, and we are grateful for the relationships we have built that allow us to serve as a resource to Governor Kemp and members of the General Assembly.  

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of standing beside the Governor and First Lady Marty Kemp when he announced the release of a new tool focused on Georgia’s youth, the My GCAL app.

This app is an additional way for people to connect with the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL), DBHDD’s 24/7 statewide helpline that provides free and confidential access to crisis and routine services for mental illness, substance use disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

For more than a decade, GCAL has helped hundreds of thousands of Georgians get the care they need through the crisis and referral line.  However, we know that people under 25 are much less likely to make a phone call for help than any other age group.  They prefer to text and chat online, and our service delivery systems must adapt to be relevant.  During the 2018 Legislative session, Chair Katie Dempsey, one of Georgia’s many champions for children’s mental health, led the charge to secure additional funds to make this technology upgrade a reality.

Young Georgians today are under more pressure than any generation before them.  Rates of anxiety and depression for teens are on the rise. Adolescence is a critical developmental age.  It is also an age when many people are not comfortable telling a parent or teacher that they need help.  It might also be difficult to know what to do if a friend is struggling.  This can have tragic consequences for Georgia families.  In the last two decades, the rate of suicide in our state increased by 16 percent, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth nationwide. 

These facts compel us to craft new solutions and resources.  DBHDD and our partner Behavioral Health Link, which operates GCAL, designed My GCAL.  The app provides the same professional, confidential response as the GCAL.  Users can text or chat with caring professionals trained in crisis management and de-escalation.  The app can also call GCAL, which means they do not need to save or remember the number. 

My GCAL is available on iOS and Android.  Please urge those you love to download the app today.  You might be able to connect someone to lifesaving help.  We are fortunate to live in a state where such a unique, lifesaving resource is at our fingertips.

Judy Fitzgerald Commissioner, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

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DBHDD on the Move – Feb 2019

DBHDD Management Academy Cohort #9

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Commissioner JFitzgerald Community Department News

2019 is Off and Running!

2019 is off and running! I hope that you enjoyed a season of rest, reflection, and gratitude and are geared up for a productive year ahead. Georgia’s public safety net for people with mental illness, substance use disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities has never been more vibrant or more vital to the health care landscape.

As Governor Kemp’s administration steps into leadership, we have heard loudly and clearly that there is a strong commitment to health care improvements, especially in rural areas. As national and state attention sharpens the focus on access to care, we embrace the opportunity to demonstrate our increased accountability and transparency throughout our service delivery system. We also emphasize the importance of the health and support needs of the individuals we serve through our five state hospitals and network of community-based providers throughout the state. With nearly 22,000 individuals served through the NOW and COMP waivers and through state and family support funds, and nearly 160,000 receiving mental health and substance abuse prevention and intervention services, our work is essential to the health of Georgia’s children, adults, families, and communities.

Of course, we do not do this work alone. While I am dependent upon a team of purpose-driven executives and DBHDD team members in every corner of Georgia, we also rely heavily upon the wisdom and experience of our partners.

This recognition of the value of partners is an important element of my reflections on 2018. I am so proud of the partnerships we have strengthened in the last year. Our partners work tirelessly in the face of workforce and funding challenges. Together, we will continue to grow and enhance our service delivery system so that we remain a reliable and accountable partner in Georgia’s dynamic health care environment. When we speak with a shared voice about individuals and families we serve, people listen. There has never been a more important time to promote recovery and independence, as these are the outcomes that real people and communities want to experience. While our priority is building on our strengths, we acknowledge the gaps in our system that require continued attention and collaboration. These gaps will also be at the forefront of our work.

Not only have we deepened partnerships with current allies in the General Assembly and in the community, with Community Service Boards, private hospitals, Sheriffs, judges, advocates, and sister agencies, but we have found new partners in universities, the farm community, Association of County Commissioners, Georgia Municipal Association, business leaders, and others deeply concerned about suicide and the opioid epidemic. We will continue the important conversations that were borne of our shared concerns.

In closing, I want you to know three things you can expect from DBHDD in 2019. First, partnerships will be at the forefront of our strategic decisions. We simply cannot be successful without collaboration and relentless communication. I want people to experience DBHDD not just as a partner, but a predictable and principled partner that seeks to listen and learn as we fulfill safety-net obligations. The second thing that you can expect is that we will continue our drive toward accountability and transparency. Governor Deal and the General Assembly generously supported our buildup of community services in recent years, and we want to demonstrate explicitly the ways in which we are improving the lives of Georgians with the dollars that have been invested. We are not perfect, but we sure are persistent. Finally, you can expect optimism. We believe that the needs of individuals with behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families are a reflection of Georgia’s commitment to vulnerable citizens. We know that Governor Kemp’s administration will advance the momentum we have already achieved. We intend to place Georgia at the forefront of states that possess the hearts and minds to deliver effective and efficient care that results in improved quality of life throughout our great state.

We look forward to doing this together!

Judy Fitzgerald
Commissioner

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DBHDD On The Move Dec 2018

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Commissioner JFitzgerald Community Department News Events

A Year in Review

Earlier this year, I shared the story of DBHDD’s transformation from a system that was inconsistent and fragmented to an accountable and transparent continuum of care for all people we serve. While this dramatic transformation has unfolded over the last decade, the past year has been marked by an intensification of progress. As 2018 comes to a close, I would like to thank all of you for the passion and partnership that characterize the following highlights of Georgia’s achievements.

Children’s Mental Health

Last year, I had the honor of serving as co-chair of Governor Deal’s Commission on Children’s Mental Health. We made eight recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly, including strategies for enhancing school-based mental health services, crisis services, suicide prevention, education and prevention of opioid use, telemedicine infrastructure, and training on evidence-based practices. In March, Governor Deal and the General Assembly invested more than $20 million to accomplish goals in each of these critical areas.

Recovery, Wellness, and Independence

For DBHDD and our hospital and provider community, our mission is to facilitate recovery, wellness, and independence. These three tenets drive our purpose, and this year, we codified our commitment in policy to deliver a clear message about who we are and what we do. The policy articulates our belief in the principles of self-determination, freedom, and personal responsibility as the key to achieving a satisfying, independent life with dignity and respect. It is an important summary, our “Why” as an organization, and you can read it here.

Intellectual and Developmental Disability Planning Lists

In 2016, we began reviewing our approach to the I/DD Planning list to ensure that individuals with the greatest level of need were prioritized, regardless of their location in the state. Since then, we have adjusted outdated staffing patterns and adopted new tools and technology to support more consistent and sophisticated analysis of changing needs and to improve access and communication. For more information, please see our Multiyear Planning Lists Strategic Plan.

Center for Wellness, Hope, and Learning

In March, we opened the new Center for Wellness, Hope, and Learning at Central State Hospital. The center consolidated the hospital’s treatment mall services into one innovative, state-of-the-art facility designed to support recovery in an education-like environment. The center follows a recovery model focused on hope, wellness, respect, and self-responsibility while helping people learn practical skills that prepare them for a life beyond the hospital. Each of our hospitals has adopted thoughtful design advances that demonstrate a modern, hopeful, and skill-based approach to treatment.

DBHDD as a Learning Organization

One of the things that set’s DBHDD apart is our commitment to embody the principles of a learning organization. We believe that team members should have opportunities to grow and develop through awareness of self and others.

Our Office of Human Resources and Learning supports our evolution as a learning organization by working to ensure that we have a skilled, trained, engaged, and high-performing workforce to meet the needs of the people we serve. Our suite of development opportunities includes a new model for hospital staff orientation, training programs for our staff and community providers, learning systems and content development, and a Management Academy for emerging leaders. We are also training our team members in the Strengths Deployment Inventory (SDI) to enhance our effectiveness through improved communication. As we strive for excellence in all we do, we want DBHDD to be a place where meaningful and mission-driven work occurs.

Fighting on the Front Lines of the Opioid Epidemic

As Georgia’s opioid authority, DBHDD is responsible for the prevention, treatment, and recovery elements of our statewide response to the opioid epidemic. In 2017, we received SAMHSA’s two-year State Targeted Response (STR) to the Opioid Crisis grant ($11.8 million per year), which we have put to work providing naloxone training and kits, public services announcements, expanded medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs, a peer warm line, recovery coaches for emergency departments, and education for providers.

In September of this year, we were awarded SAMHA’s State Opioid Response (SOR) to replace the STR funds which end in April 2019. The SOR grant provides $19.9 million per year for two years and will allow DBHDD to expand and sustain the work set in motion through the STR grant.

In addition, we received $4 million in new state funding (FY 2019) to support statewide implementation of Addiction Recovery Support Centers, an essential, peer-led element of the recovery continuum. We also engaged with the Georgia Department of Public Health to develop Georgia’s Opioid Response Strategic Plan, and we serve on Attorney General Chris Carr’s Statewide Opioid Taskforce.

Information Technology Transformation

In the last five years, our information technology (IT) system has profoundly transformed. DBHDD’s IT improvements are not just about new software and gadgets. We have enhanced security, provider data, technology supporting clinical oversight for high-risk individuals, forensic evaluation tools, employee support, application development, and support, hospital and enterprise reporting, and more. While these improvements enhance our ability to accomplish daily work, the real impact is on our ability to provide more efficient and responsive care to the people we serve.
Suicide Prevention
With the alarming statistic that suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between ages 10 and 34, suicide prevention is one of DBHDD’s top priorities. We use a data-driven approach to facilitate suicide prevention coalitions that work with faith, business, and civic leaders, and community service boards and other local providers to train and educate. This year, we supported training of approximately 600 providers and community members in two proven gatekeeper suicide programs: Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). Each of us has a role to play in suicide prevention.

If you are concerned about someone who may be considering suicide, remember these four action steps: ASK-LISTEN-STAY-HELP. Ask openly and compassionately, ‘Are you thinking about suicide?’ Listen to the person without judgment; avoid trying to ‘fix it.’ Stay with the person if he or she is suicidal; keep him or her safe until help arrives. Help him or her find the right kind of help. Call the Georgia Crisis Access Line (GCAL) anytime at (800) 715-4225.

Speaking of our GCAL line, we await the implementation of an “app” that will extend outreach through texting.

As you can see, we have had a busy year! All of these accomplishments are possible because of our great team, our provider network, and the generous support of Governor Deal and the Georgia General Assembly. Expect this progress to continue at warp speed as Georgia’s needs are pressing, and our perseverance is relentless.

If you would like to learn more about any of the highlights above, please visit our blog.

Commissioner Judy Fitzgerald

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DBHDD: On the Move Nov 2018

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Commissioner’s Corner, November 2018

This Veterans Day, as we pause to pay tribute to the men and women who bear the burden of safeguarding our freedom, we must ensure that our gratitude is extended to all veterans, including those who struggle to cope right here at home. Georgia is home to more than 700,000 veterans. Many of these men and women are strengthened by their service and are vital members of our communities. But we also know that some have difficulty adjusting. It is estimated that one in five post-9/11 veterans struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, and one in six has a substance use disorder. In 2014, the Veterans Health Administration reported that 20 percent of suicide deaths in the U.S. occur by veterans, and approximately 22 veterans die by suicide every day. These numbers are both alarming and tragic.

As your Commissioner, I would first like to acknowledge the veterans who serve on the DBHDD team and in our provider network, including our Medical Director, Dr. Emile Risby, who retired after 31 years of service as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves Medical Corps. We are so proud of our veteran service members. Second, I am pleased to share some of the work that has occurred over the last ten years to help provide Georgia’s service members, veterans, and their families with the support they need and deserve to begin their process of recovery.

In 2008, DBHDD spearheaded the Georgia Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans State Action Plan. This brought vital stakeholders within the Armed Forces, treatment providers, and suicide prevention and recovery communities together to address the behavioral health needs of Georgia veterans. That same year, Georgia was one of six states to receive SAMHSA funding for a grant entitled “Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery – Priority to Veterans.” Through this work, DBHDD implemented jail diversion programs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related disorders. This pivotal work was instrumental to the now 13 Veteran Treatment Courts throughout the state. These are specialty courts created specifically for veterans who struggle with behavioral health challenges and are involved in the criminal justice system. We collaborated with various other criminal justice agencies to ensure that professionals around the state received invaluable training on the unique needs and challenges of this population.

In 2012, we partnered with the Georgia Army National Guard and scaled the STAR Behavioral Health Program to train approximately 1,800 providers throughout the state to specialize in understanding and treating military service members and their families. We continued our work with the Georgia Army National Guard and developed the Substance Abuse Treatment Initiative (SATI). SATI provided a continuum of substance abuse services which included prevention, assessment, counseling, and other treatment services to soldiers who needed assistance during challenging times. As the state behavioral health authority, we continue to lend our expertise as part of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service’s Returning Veterans Task Force and countless other statewide initiatives focusing on veterans in the criminal justice system and trauma-informed care for veterans.

I am proud of DBHDD and our providers for the work done in the past, present, and future to support our service members, veterans, and their families. As we prepare to host the 2019 Unspoken Wounds Conference: One Team. One Battle. Many Victories!, the focus will be on evidence-based practices and innovative strategies to continue our work serving the needs of this population. This conference is scheduled for March 17-19, 2019, in Columbus. This powerful three-day event brings together hundreds of stakeholders from the public and private sectors to share their expertise and their experiences working with service members, veterans, and their families. Check our website in the coming months for additional details.

To the many veterans and service members across Georgia, I offer my humble gratitude for your sacrifices and contributions to our nation. On this and every day, we support you.

Sincerely,

Judy Fitzgerald

Reminder:
Help for all Georgians is just a call away through the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) at 1 (800) 715-4225.

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DBHDD: on the Move Oct 2018

Suicide Prevention

Walker Tisdale, Director of Suicide Prevention, was interviewed on WJZA 101.1 FM’s show “Sunday Conversations” to bring awareness to the epidemic of suicide currently happening in Georgia and beyond. Tisdale also led the 8th Annual Georgia College and University Suicide Prevention Conference (pictured below) on September 24 and 25. 

Region 4 Recovery Workshop

Highland River’s Women’s Outreach Program 20th Anniversary

OIT receives the Technology Innovation Showcase Award from GTA