SECTION I – ACCESS TO CARE ............................................................. 11 

• CRISIS INFORMATION - IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO CARE .......................11 

  • Emergency Medical Services:..........................................................11 

  • Georgia Crisis and Access Line – GCAL:...........................................11 

  • DeKalb Regional Crisis Center:........................................................11 

  • Mobile Crisis Response Unit, exclusively within DeKalb County: ...12 

  • Mobile Crisis Services outside DeKalb County:...............................12 

  • Smart 911:.......................................................................................12

• ACCESS TO CARE .................................................................................13

  • Community Service Boards/County Providers................................13 

  • DeKalb Community Service Board: .................................................13 

  • Fulton County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities: 13 

  • Helplines / Warmlines.....................................................................14

  • NAMI Help Line: ..............................................................................14

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: ..............................................14 

  • Other help lines: Veteran’s, SAMHSA, Teen Suicide, Voilence:......15 

  • Missing Persons: .............................................................................16

  • Alcoholics Anonymous Atlanta: ......................................................16 

  • Narcotics Anonymous World Service:.............................................16 

  • Eating Disorders Helpline:...............................................................16 

• PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS.............................................................................17

  • Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL): ...........................................17 

  • Crisis Intervention Teams - CIT: ......................................................17 

  • DeKalb Regional Crisis Center:........................................................17 

  • DeKalb County Misdemeanor Mental Health Court:......................18 

  • DeKalb County Felony Mental Health Court:..................................18 

  • Forensic: .......................................................................................... 18 

  • Grady Behavioral Health Services: ..................................................18 

  • Wellness Recovery Action Plan – WRAP:........................................19 

• VOLUNTARY vs. INVOLUNTARY HOSPITALIZATION and CONSUMER RIGHTS... 20 

  • Inpatient Treatment Criteria:..........................................................20

  • Outpatient Treatment Criteria:.......................................................20 

  • Voluntary Hospitalization: ..............................................................20 

  • Involuntary Hospitalization:............................................................20

  • Consumer Rights and Involuntary Mental Health Treatment: .......21 
    Georgia Office of Disability Services (Ombudsman): ......................21 

• LEGAL ..................................................................................................22

  • Advanced Directive for Health Care:...............................................22 

  • Caring Connections: ........................................................................22 

  • The Bazelon Center for Law: ...........................................................22 

  • Power of Attorney and Durable Power of Attorney: ......................22 

  • Guardianship: .................................................................................. 22 

  • Legal Assistance in DeKalb County Jail:...........................................23 

  • DeKalb County Jail Information: .....................................................23 

  • Medications to DeKalb County Jail: ................................................23 

  • DeKalb County Misdemeanor Mental Health Court:......................23 

• SOCIAL SECURITY ................................................................................27

  • Social Security Disability – SSDI/SSI: ...............................................27 

  • SSDI/SSI Benefits .............................................................................27

  • How to Apply for SSDI/SSI Benefits:................................................27 

  • Atlanta Social Security locations:....................................................27 

  • Additional websites:........................................................................28

  • Oversight for SSDI/SSI Benefits:......................................................28 

  • Benefits Navigator Program:...........................................................28

  • Special Needs Trust:........................................................................28

 

SECTION II – NAMI DEKALB COMMUNITY RESOURCES........... 30 

• GEORGIA DBHDD REGIONS MAP ........................................................31 

  • State Psychiatric Hospitals .........................................................32

  • Private Psychiatric Hospitals ......................................................32

  • Community Services Areas..............................................................32 

• BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITALS & RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES ... 34 

• CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ..........................................................38 

• CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ..........................................................39 

• CHILDREN AND YOUTH .......................................................................42 

  • SPECIAL EDUCATION CONSULTANT/ADVOCATE.............................42 

  • SUPPORT SERVICES .........................................................................42 

  • TESTING, ASSESSMENTS, EVALUATIONS & TREATMENT................44 

  • RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT...............................................................45

  • COLLEGE PREPARATION AND CHALLENGES....................................45 

• COUNSELING & THERAPY....................................................................47 

  • DBT THERAPISTS..............................................................................50

  • ORGANIZATIONS .............................................................................51

• FINANCIAL ...........................................................................................52

• LEGAL ..................................................................................................53

  • SOCIAL SECURITY LAW FIRMS.........................................................53 

  • ORGANIZATIONS .............................................................................54

  • ASSOCIATIONS ................................................................................55

• RESEARCH - TRIALS..............................................................................58

• SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT ........................................................59 

• SUPPORT GROUPS / DAY CENTERS .....................................................61 

• THE BASICS..........................................................................................63

  • BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE ............................................................63 

  • CASH ASSISTANCE ...........................................................................63 

  • DENTAL CARE ..................................................................................64

  • FOOD ............................................................................................... 64 

  • PHONE ............................................................................................. 64 

  • PRESCRIPTIONS ...............................................................................65

  • PRIMARY HEALTH CARE ..................................................................65 

  • TRANSIT ........................................................................................... 66 

• VOCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ..................................................................67 

• APPENDIX A.........................................................................................68

 

SECTION III - GUIDE ON MENTAL ILLNESS......................... 71 

• SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ............................71 

  • SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES ................................................71 

  • DIAGNOSIS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES .................................................72 

  • TYPES OF MENTAL ILLNESS .............................................................72 

  • OTHER RESOURCES FOR THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT SUICIDE ......79 

  • SERIOUS DISORDERS OF CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS.....................80 

  • SEEKING TREATMENT......................................................................85

  • MEDICATIONS .................................................................................86

  • MEDICATION ASSISTANCE TOOLS...................................................89 

  • ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY .....................................................89 

• RESOURCES FOR CARE ........................................................................90

  • MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS:.................................................90 

  • COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARDS (CSB’s): .........................................90 

  • INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES: ................................................91 

  • FAMILY MEMBERS:..........................................................................91

  • ONGOING TREATMENT:..................................................................92 

• COPING WITH A RELATIVE WHO HAS A MENTAL ILLNESS..................94 

  • REACTIONS OF FAMILIES AND FRIENDS..........................................94 

  • BEHAVIORAL ISSUES........................................................................94

  • SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY GROUPS ...............................................95 

  • SEEKING TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS ...............96 

  • FAMILY INTERACTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.........................97 

• HOUSING ........................................................................................... 104 

​

SECTION IV: NAMI DeKalb ............................................................................ 107 

• WHAT IS NAMI? ................................................................................107

• WHO IS NAMI DeKalb?......................................................................108

• NAMI PROGRAMS .............................................................................109

• BECOME A MEMBER .........................................................................113