Fulton Outsources Behavioral Health Services

ATLANTA, GA -- Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, Fulton County will open a new chapter in delivering behavioral health services to the public. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities has selected two nationally accredited vendors to provided these services to patients. Each company, the county said, has substantial experience in providing comprehensive mental health and addiction services to adults, children and youth.

These two partners, Chris 180 (in collaboration with Odyssey Family Counseling and Summit Counseling) and River Edge, will begin serving clients on Jan. 1. Although the county is contracting with these community-based agencies to provide behavioral health care, citizens will still be receiving services from Fulton County government.

“These exciting new changes will enable Fulton County to manage taxpayer dollars effectively by serving more people in more locations across the county in a more efficient and cost-effective manner," said Fulton County Manager Dick Anderson, emphasizing the importance of the transition of services to outside providers. “We will more than double the number of citizens we serve with the same financial resources that were available with the previous service delivery model. The transition to outside providers equips us to meet the goals of our Strategic Plan tenet that All People Trust that Government is Efficient, Effective and Fiscally Sound.”

The additional advantages of the new service delivery strategy for the county’s citizens include:

• An expanded capacity to collaborate with schools to provide clinical support for adolescent behavioral health issues (including heroin or other substance abuse, suicide and behavioral disorders).
• A solid, achievable framework to set the Behavioral Health agenda for the County that will allow a request for additional state funding for mental health and substance abuse.
• Coordination with the criminal justice system to (a.) better support diversion efforts/initiatives, and (b.) establish a behavioral health continuum of care for inmates designed to break the vicious cycle, and
• Aggressive, systematic case and performance management standards for the uninsured mentally ill of Fulton County.

“By collaborating with community-based agencies, Fulton County can offer high quality services in a more efficient manner,” added LaTrina Foster, director of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. “More locations, plus reduced wait times, plus easier access equal better health, which fulfills a second principle of our Strategic Plan which seeks to ensure that all people are healthy.”

Last year Fulton County performed an in-depth analysis of behavioral health services. While a number of clients were being served, the analysis determined that more people could be served with the same resources through a different service delivery model.

Services will be provided at the following locations:

Jan. 2, 2018

• Adamsville Regional Health Center (child, adolescent and emerging adults)
• Oak Hill (child, adolescent, & emerging adults)
• North Fulton Service Center (child, adolescent, emerging adults and adults
• Center for Health & Rehabilitation (adults)

April 11, 2018

• South Fulton Service Center (Adults)

Developmental disabilities services will remain unchanged under the new service delivery strategy. For more information, contact Brian Williams, program specialist, at 404-613-3789.

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