Georgia is moving forward with plans to build its largest state psychiatric hospital in decades as officials seek to reduce a growing backlog of forensic patients waiting for court-ordered mental healthcare, according to a July 20 report from the Georgia Recorder.
Here are five things to know:
- Georgia is building its largest state psychiatric hospital in decades. State lawmakers approved $409 million to build a 300-bed forensic state hospital near Decatur-based Georgia Regional Hospital in south DeKalb County. A hospital of this size typically takes about 36 months to build, and officials hope to move faster.
- More than 700 people are waiting for state psychiatric beds. According to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the backlog consists of people in the criminal justice system awaiting placement in a state psychiatric facility. The hospital is intended for people with a mental illness or disability who have been charged with or convicted of a crime and require court-ordered treatment.
- County jails are bearing the burden. When state hospitals are full, patients often remain in local jails for months while awaiting admission, creating operational and legal challenges for sheriffs. A 2023 capacity study found the state could be unable to accept additional patients by 2034 without another facility.
- Georgia also reached a legal settlement to reduce wait times. Under an April agreement with the Georgia Advocacy Office and the Southern Center for Human Rights, the state must evaluate forensic patients within 30 days and admit them to an appropriate restoration program within another 30 days by the end of 2029.
- Officials said community-based care will continue alongside the new hospital. The state is also developing several behavioral health crisis centers in Augusta, Savannah, Dublin, north Fulton County and Clayton County. Officials are positioning the new hospital as one part of a broader strategy to reduce the forensic patient backlog. The project has drawn concerns from advocates, who say the state must continue investing in community-based behavioral health services alongside the new facility.
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