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Newton County proclaims Mental Health Awareness Month; local advocates brief commissioners on new state law
Summary
The Newton County Board of Commissioners proclaimed May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month and heard a presentation on Senate Bill 132 and statewide mental health reforms from NAMI Georgia and local advocates.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners on May 20 proclaimed May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month and heard presentations from local youth advocates and mental-health organizations about recent state legislation and local resources.
The proclamation, read by Chairman Linda D. Hayes, cited state and county survey data and encouraged residents to learn signs of mental disorders and integrate mental-health care into children’s daily lives. "I, Linda D. Hayes, chairman of the Newton County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month in Newton County," Hayes said.
The proclamation was followed by remarks from students with the Newton County Drug Free Youth Action Team and a presentation about Senate Bill 132 by Kim Jones, executive director of NAMI Georgia, and Dr. Lakisha Izzard, a licensed professional counselor and appointee to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) advisory commission. Jones and Dr. Izzard said the recently signed Senate Bill 132 changes procedures for evaluating people’s competency to stand trial and aims to shorten delays that leave people held in county jails awaiting evaluation.
"This bill . . . changes how we handle people who are incompetent to stand trial," Kim Jones said. She told commissioners that the bill shortens evaluation timeframes and gives courts more options, including transferring custody to DBHDD for evaluation. Jones added that the change is intended to provide "help and not handcuffs." Dr. Izzard said the measure reduces the timeline from what had often been far longer waits down toward a 45‑day process after which the court may transfer custody for evaluation.
Commissioners praised the youth presenters and asked about local initiatives. Commissioner Mason said he is working with Dr. Izzard on a county mental‑health initiative that will include work focused on people in the criminal‑legal system. Mason said the initiative would aim to address underlying behavioral‑health needs rather than treating mental‑health encounters solely as criminal matters.
The county and presenters noted local resources, including the Rockdale‑Newton NAMI affiliate, and urged residents to contact NAMI if they encounter barriers to care. Presenters referenced prior state legislation on parity for mental‑health insurance coverage (discussed as House Bill 1013 in the presentation materials) and said SB 132 and other bills passed in recent years form part of wider reform work.
The meeting closed the item with the students and presenters joining commissioners for a group photograph and the board presenting the proclamation.
Why it matters: County leaders and local advocacy groups highlighted state changes that municipal officials said could reduce jail stays tied to competency evaluations and increase access to treatment. Commissioners said they plan to coordinate local efforts with state providers and community partners to implement supports.
