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GA SB403
Bill
AI Summary
- Each community service board in Georgia must establish a co-responder program pairing peace officers with licensed behavioral health professionals to jointly respond to emergency calls involving individuals experiencing mental health crises, developmental disabilities, or addictive diseases
- Co-responder teams must be dispatched when emergency calls involve behavioral health crises; the behavioral health professional may accompany the officer in person, virtually, or by phone, and the officer may consider their input when deciding whether to refer an individual to treatment rather than making an arrest
- Community service boards must contact individuals within two business days following a behavioral health crisis to provide follow-up services, including identifying needed support such as housing and job placement, and offering voluntary outpatient therapy
- All training costs for co-responder team members, communications officers, and community service board staff are borne by the department; program requirements are contingent on appropriated or available funding, with proposed budgets due annually by July 15 starting in 2023
- Good-faith immunity from civil and criminal liability is extended to peace officers, community service boards, communications officers, and related personnel for decisions to dispatch or not dispatch a co-responder team, transport an individual to a facility, incarcerate, or decline to take an individual into custody
Legislative Description
"Georgia Behavioral Health and Peace Officer Co-Responder Act"; enact
Last Action
Effective Date 2022-07-01
5/9/2022
Committee Referrals
Health and Human Services3/4/2022
Health and Human Services2/1/2022
Full Bill Text
No bill text available