This forum explored the behavioral health needs of Georgia children and youth, Georgia’s publicly-supported behavioral health landscape, and successes and opportunities in the current system of care. The event also identified opportunities to scale up effective services and raise awareness about the system of care to improve access to behavioral health services for children and youth in Georgia.

The program included presentations from Dante McKay, Director of the Office of Children, Young Adults, & Families at the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities and Laura Colbert, Executive Director, Georgians for a Healthy Future.

The second part of the event featured a panel of behavioral health service providers and practitioners moderated by Dr. Erica Fener Sitkoff, Executive Director of Voices for Georgia’s Children. Panelists shared how their organizations serve the behavioral health needs of Georgia children, described barriers to care and recovery, and identified opportunities for providers, policymakers, and advocates to work together to improve behavioral health care in Georgia. Panelists included:

• Monica McGannon, CHRIS 180
• Wendy Farmer, Behavioral Health Link
• Laura Lucas, Project LAUNCH, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities
• Moderator: Erica Fener-Sitkoff, Voices for Georgia’s Children

Event attendees also heard from Tammie Harrison, as she shared her story of recovery and highlighted how she navigated through the behavioral health care system.

If you missed the event, a recording of the webcast is available here.

Georgians for a Healthy Future presented a new behavioral health fact sheet, available for download here.