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Camden County officials highlight mental‑health training and community calls for treatment alternatives
Summary
At a May meeting, Camden County commissioners proclaimed Mental Health Awareness Month and heard residents and a DBHDD representative urge expanded services, including a mental‑health court and local treatment capacity; speakers also flagged suicide rates and gaps in local evaluating facilities.
Camden County commissioners proclaimed May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month and heard multiple residents and a state behavioral‑health representative urge the county to expand local treatment options, including exploring a mental‑health court and facilities for crisis evaluation.
The county’s proclamation was read during the board’s May meeting by Chairman Ben L. Casey. Dawn Gray, the Camden County representative to the Region 5 Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) advisory council, told the board the state has increased mandatory training requirements for peace officers and recommended local steps on diversion and court options. “That includes now a mandatory 40 hours of training in crisis intervention,” Gray said, adding that the change takes effect for officers entering academies on Jan. 1, 2025. Gray also said Camden County is “one of five judicial districts within the state of Georgia that does not have a mental health court.”
Why it matters: Commissioners listed mental health among county strategic priorities; residents and DBHDD staff warned that without local evaluation and treatment capacity, people in crisis are routed to distant facilities or detained in jail. That has implications for public safety, jail use and county health‑service planning.
In public comment, residents recounted local impacts. Don Gray said local suicide deaths have risen: “From not 2019 to 2023, the deaths by suicide in Camden County almost doubled that of motor vehicle accidents in this county,” and added that suicide was the leading cause of death for residents ages 10 to 24 over that period. Resident and pastor Timothy Bessett said he encounters families whose relatives with mental‑health conditions have been jailed because of limited local resources.
DBHDD’s Gray urged commissioners to consider expanding local judicial and treatment options, including establishing a mental‑health court in the judicial district and using the county’s strategic priority work to direct resources. She noted recent state policy and training changes intended to improve crisis response and officer wellness. “Awareness is great, but for those of us that are on the ground, we’d like to see some change also,” Gray said.
Speakers also asked the board to participate in forthcoming local events. County staff mentioned a planned behavioral health summit; DBHDD representatives and callers asked commissioners to take part.
What was not decided: The board made a ceremonial proclamation declaring Mental Health Awareness Month; no formal policy or budget appropriation for a mental‑health court or new local evaluating facility was adopted during the meeting. Commissioners and staff discussed the topics and heard public comment, but the transcript does not record a motion or vote implementing the specific program changes requested by speakers.
The board’s role: Commissioners publicly committed to mental‑health awareness and heard requests for follow‑up. County staff and elected leaders will determine next steps and whether to pursue court‑level or facility investments, which the transcript indicates would likely require interagency coordination and external approvals.
