Hall County District 1 Commissioner Kathy Cooper has been appointed to the Association County Commissioners of Georgia’s (ACCG) Standing Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, which acts as an information clearinghouse and resource for all 159 Georgia counties to help address complex mental health issues.
“Hall County remains committed to promoting mental health initiatives in our community, as outlined in our Strategic Plan, and I am proud to partner with my fellow committee members to further these critically important efforts,” Cooper said. “I look forward to working with such a dedicated group of individuals to continue these important conversations.”
The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee is tasked with working together to create, share and provide access to information on best practices for serving citizens with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders.
The Committee is comprised of five subcommittees including:
- Public Safety (sheriffs/law enforcement, 911, EMS)
- Data/Evaluation/Mapping
- Courts: Mental Health, Drug, Probate and Juvenile (DFACS)
- Resources: Funding, Workforce and Facilities
- Community Partnerships
Commissioner Cooper has been appointed to co-chair the Courts: Mental Health, Drug, Probate and Juvenile (DFACS) Subcommittee.
Subcommittees work alongside Standing Committee Members to help counties identify key local, state and federal resources; establish effective initiatives; and create impactful partnerships.
“Mental health challenges are often a crisis for most local communities. As counties are the closest constitutional government to their constituents, we are on the front line of reform efforts,” ACCG President and Baldwin County District 4 Commissioner Henry Craig said. “The work of the ACCG Standing Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse will serve as one of many contributions to encourage statewide renewal of policy and resources to address the prevalent issue of care for Georgians with mental illnesses and substance addiction.”
To learn more about ACCG and its Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee, visit the organization online at www.accg.org.