Mental Health

Mental Health

Order to Apprehend (OTA)

In certain situations, the law allows the judge to order a person to be apprehended by law enforcement and delivered to the nearest available Emergency Receiving Facility (ERF) for examination. ERFs are designated by the GA Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability (DBHDD)

 

For a judge to sign an Order to Apprehend, the following must occur:

 

  • There must be reason to believe that the individual is mentally ill or abusing drugs and/or alcohol, and
  • represents a substantial risk of imminent harm to themselves or others, or
  • is unable to care for their own physical health and safety as to create an imminently life-endangering crisis, or
  • is unable to voluntarily seek or comply with outpatient treatment and needs involuntary treatment, and
  • Two people who have witnessed the behavior within the last 48 hours must provide an affidavit, and other documentation if applicable, and submit it to the

 

If the judge signs the order and the patient is delivered to the ERF, the patient is legally required to be examined within 48 hours. Any resulting action or inaction is outside of the Court’s control. Any treatment decision is a medical determination made by the treatment team. This would include further evaluation, involuntary medication, and treatment.

 

(For minors under age 18, please contact the Juvenile Court).

 

Mental Health Resources

Emergency Hotlines

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

 

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a network of more than 200 state and local call centers supported by HHS through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

 

The lifeline, which also links to the Veterans Crisis Line, follows a three-year joint effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to put crisis care more in reach for people in need.

 

Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL)

 

The Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) is a 24/7 behavioral health crisis call center operated by Behavioral Health Link through funding from the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. GCAL provides free and confidential behavioral health crisis intervention and access to behavioral health services. Anyone in Georgia can call GCAL for help for themselves or on behalf of someone else at 800-715- 4225 or via the My GCAL app. Callers actively experiencing a crisis can speak with live clinicians trained in de-escalation. When needed, GCAL can dispatch mobile crisis response teams to provide de-escalation on-site. GCAL information specialists can also provide referrals for treatment in a caller’s area.

 

TXT4HELP

 

TXT 4 HELP is a nationwide, 24-hour text-for-supp01t service for teens in crisis.

 

If you’re in trouble or need help, text SAFE and your current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357) for immediate help.

 

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Visit them online at: https://nami.org/home

 

DBHDD (Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities)

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities provides treatment and support services to people with behavioral health challenges and addictive diseases. Visit them online at: https://clbl1clcl.georgia.gov/

Patti Moseley