Bipartisan bill aims to build on 2022 effort to boost Georgia’s mental health care

Speaker John Burns says the credit for last year’s mental health reform goes to the late Speaker, David Ralston.

“While we miss him dearly, we are proud to continue the work he insipired,” said Burns.

The new bipartisan legislation would forgive student loan debt to encourage more mental health providers as well as define what severe mental illness is.

“It is critical that every agency when they say a particular phrase or phraseology, they understand what the other one is saying,” said Co-sponsor Representative Todd Jones. He said the bill also focuses on ending the cycle of mental illness substance abuse and homelessness.