ATLANTA — An effort to establish a statewide co-responder model as part of mental health reform in Georgia was unanimously approved Thursday in the Senate. 

Building on the success of local programs currently in operation, the “Georgia Behavioral Health and Peace Officer Co-Responder Act” would create a partnership and collaboration between behavioral health professionals and law enforcement to act as a team in responding to potential mental health-related emergency calls.   

“In my home county of Forsyth, I have seen firsthand the impact that behavioral health professionals can have on law enforcement response efforts,” said Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who announced the initiative in January. “Pairing law enforcement officers with professionals with specialized training to de-escalate a mental health-related emergency can yield long-term results that increase public safety and provide immediate access to mental health care for those in crises.”

Sponsored by Sen. Ben Watson, R–Savannah, Senate Bill 403 directs Georgia’s 23 community service boards to provide the behavioral health component of the co-responder program for law enforcement agencies that choose to participate in a co-responder program.

Under the proposal, CSBs would provide a behavioral health specialist to assist officers responding to a crisis either virtually or in person. With guidance from a licensed counselor, officers will have the authority to refer an individual to a treatment facility rather than make an arrest. 

“As a physician with over three decades of experience, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to ensure individuals in a behavioral health crisis receive an appropriate response, appropriate care and consistent follow-up,” said Sen. Ben Watson, who also serves as chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. “This legislation is a significant step toward securing mental health services in Georgia communities by providing crisis intervention to those who have the most urgent need.”

National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that people who experience a mental health crisis are often more likely to encounter a law enforcement officer than a mental health professional. Nearly one in four people shot and killed by police officers in 2019 had a mental health condition.

The Georgia Behavioral Health and Peace Officer Co-Responder Act now  awaits a House vote.