DBHDD Breaks Ground on First-Ever Crisis Stabilization and Diagnostic Center for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), led by Commissioner Kevin Tanner, on Wednesday broke ground on the state’s first crisis support center specifically designed to serve adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Located in the Macon downtown corridor, the Crisis Stabilization Diagnostic Center (CSDC) will offer a breadth of healthcare services to support the independence and long-term success of Georgians with disabilities.

“Today is an important day in Georgia history,” said Tanner. “This project represents a significant milestone in our commitment to making sure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have access to the right care at the right time and exemplifies our dedication to our mission to ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, receives the highest quality of care and attention they deserve.”

The center is expected to open January 2025 and is the result of a partnership between DBHDD, Mercer University, and River Edge Behavioral Health. The Department aims to expand pathways to care for Georgians with disabilities and train Georgia’s future healthcare workforce to better serve those with disabilities.

“Our purpose at River Edge is to take care of adult individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to do so with excellence, integrity and by employing committed and dedicated staff,” said River Edge CEO Cass Hatcher. “This wonderful new facility will be attractively designed with a system of care that integrates acute health care with long-term services and support by developing IDD medicine as a specialty to provide people with IDD a set of preventative health supports.”

The 34,000-square-foot facility will be the first of its kind in Georgia and will offer a broad range of services, including behavioral health assessments, dentistry, psychiatry, neurology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, ophthalmology, and other specialized services. The CSDC will also offer outpatient services, ensuring that Macon area residents with IDD can receive walk-in services close to home.

“Often, individuals with disabilities experience a crisis that may look like a behavioral health issue on the surface, but is rooted in a physical issue,” Tanner said. “This center is designed with these important Georgians’ whole health in mind and with the recognition that these services are critical to community-based care.”

A video recording of this ceremony may be found on the Department’s Facebook page here.

*Editor’s Note: Photos of Commissioner Kevin Tanner attending the groundbreaking ceremony are attached.