Disability Law

“It is critical that we take a comprehensive look at Georgia’s delivery of services to citizens who live with mental illnesses and substance abuse,” Perdue said in a news release. It constituted his first public remarks on the psychiatric care system since The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in January that at least 115 state hospital patients died under suspicious circumstances from 2002 to 2006, along with the physical or sexual abuse of at least 194 patients…

Under Perdue’s executive order, he will share appointments to the 15-member Mental Health Service Delivery Commission with the speaker of the House of Representatives and the lieutenant governor, who is the state Senate’s presiding officer.

The commission will include four lawmakers, a Superior Court judge, a law enforcement official, advocates for the mentally ill, a parent of a mentally ill child and a “legally competent adult” who receives mental health treatment from the state.

In addition, Perdue will appoint three members “with experience in mental health service delivery issues.” Those apparently will be officials from agencies that report to the governor, although not necessarily Human Resources.