It’s hard to put words to the array of feelings and experiences we have endured in 2020. Each week seems to add new twists and turns to an already complicated storyline.  Looking backward, I am able to reflect with pride on the DBHDD hospital system and provider network.  Our collective ability to lean into uncertainty and remain focused on our mission to serve has led to remarkable progress and continuity of care for many vulnerable Georgians.  But we have also experienced grief, gaps in service, and longing for the way things used to be.  Like me, you may recognize some simple activities and pleasures that we have taken for granted.  I have also experienced unexpected joy in stories of acts of compassion, empathy, and courage.  It is as if the full human experience has been squeezed into the course of a few months.

It seems challenging to make sense of the world around us right now.  We are still trying to understand COVID-19 while protecting ourselves and our families and continuing to serve vulnerable individuals throughout our hospital and community-based safety net network.  At the same time, the fiscal damage wreaked by the pandemic is felt in every corner of the economy, and state agencies are facing difficult budget reductions.  Amidst this landscape, we are now experiencing unrest and violence across our nation and close to home in Georgia as well, and we know that minority communities have been disproportionately impacted.  These surely are trying times.

Whether you are someone who receives DBHDD services, a family member, a provider, an advocate, a DBHDD team member, an elected official, or just getting to know us, I want to thank you for your support of our work and the people we serve.  I also want to thank you for taking the time to read this edition of our newsletter, which offers updates as well as messages of optimism and hope. 

Greetings!  Many of you may know that March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.  During this important month, we join with our partners – individuals, families, advocates and allies, providers, employers, and community leaders – in celebrating people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and raising awareness about inclusion in our communities. 

As we begin 2020, I am filled with hope and enthusiasm as I see a landscape full of opportunities to serve Georgians in need and also to impact the health care environment of the future in our state.  We have been included in many vital conversations regarding health care.  There is a growing recognition of the importance of mental health and substance use disorders, and also acknowledgement of the growing population and needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  DBHDD and members of our provider network have remarkable experience, expertise, and commitment to high-quality service that has enabled a measurable transformation of our system across our five state hospitals and our network of community-based services.  We are also fortunate to have strong and knowledgeable advocates, clients, and family members who challenge us to be persistent in our demand for improved access and resources.  Together, we seek solutions that are not separate from health care conversations, but rather a vital part of the dialogue in Georgia.

As the year winds down and we enter the holiday season, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to each of you.  Whether you are a provider, a DBHDD staff member, an elected official, an advocate, or part of one of the many agencies and organizations that support the people we serve, your work makes a meaningful difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Georgians who count on you.

Next week, our nation celebrates Veterans Day, paying homage to the men and women who have fought to preserve our freedom.  As Americans, we are called to support those who were willing to lay everything on the line to protect and defend us.  As behavioral health providers, we have a special responsibility to support our veterans as they transition from service to society.  Georgia is the proud home of approximately 700,000 veterans, including many who work for or are served by DBHDD and our providers.  Over 150 veterans choose to work at DBHDD, and there are many others working in our safety net network.  Every one of us owes a great debt to them – and all veterans – for their courage, conviction, and sacrifice.     

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and today is World Suicide Prevention Day. In the last two decades, the rate of suicide has increased by 16 percent in Georgia and 30 percent across the nation.  Recently, high-profile suicides covered the news in our state, but the tragedy of suic

When people think about our state’s safety net for people with psychiatric disorders, they may think about Georgia’s five state hospitals. Our hospitals are an essential element of the safety net continuum. They provide a vital resource for individuals with serious behavioral health issues.

Greetings!  It seems that Spring is finally here and we can look forward to the celebration of Mental Health Month throughout May.  Today, I want to celebrate mental health and more through an important story.  It is the story of a decade of transformation at DBHDD.