Avita Community Partners is a resource for individuals and families in northeast Georgia experiencing the disabling effects of mental illness, developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases. Our goal is to assist in the development of safe, stable, meaningful lives for all. Learn More
The Children's Center for Hope & Healing (CCHH) is dedicated to stopping the cycle of child sexual abuse and to preventing the exploitation of children.
Since 1984 we've served northeast Georgia by providing counseling, education, and advocacy for those whose lives have been affected by sexual abuse through our five programs: Victim Services, Project Pathfinder, Adult Services, and Prevention Services.
The programs of the CCHH touch the lives of more than 1800 people each year who live across 13 counties of Northeast Georgia. The agency delivers programs through two locations: Gainesville and Cumming.
No other agency in Northeast Georgia offers the specialized services of Project Pathfinder. Also, CCHH is part of a limited number of agencies that offer counseling services to adults and children who are the survivors of sexual abuse. Learn More
At Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, our mission is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow. Strong4Life is one of the many ways we deliver on that promise. Armed with a team of Children's doctors, therapists, nurses, registered dietitians and other wellness experts, Strong4Life has resources to help busy families raise healthy, safe, resilient kids. Learn More
- Navigating School Breaks - Elementary School
- Navigating School Breaks - Middle School
- Navigating School Breaks - High School
- Navigating School Breaks Tip Sheets - All Ages
- Tips for Looking for a Mental or Behavioral Health Professional
- Back to School Tips - Elementary School, 2021
- Back to School Tips - Middle School, 2021
- Back to School Tips - High School, 2021
- Creating a Calming Corner at Home for Kids
- Setting up a Calming Corner in Your Classroom
- How to Help Your Child Deal With Academic Anxiety
- Managing Academic Anxiety - Elementary School
- Managing Academic Anxiety - Middle School
- Managing Academic Anxiety - High School
- NEW! Summer Break Tip Sheets - Elementary School
- NEW! Summer Break Tip Sheets - Middle School
- NEW! Summer Break Tip Sheets - High School
Mission: Provide immediate and on-going assistance to at-risk individuals and families through mentorship, counseling, and support.
- A grant organization dedicated to helping families and non-profits fund projects and obtain the necessary financial help to overcome challenges.
Who?
- Teenagers in crisis
- Families in need
How?
- Activate a system of financial and humanitarian support – solutions and resources.
Vision: Activate a system of people and non-profit organizations to support families or individuals following a crisis to provide the resources necessary to move past those crises.
How?
- Provide resources promptly upon a crisis being recognized.
Values: Mental Health, Academia, Emotional Growth, Physical Fitness, Social Unity and Community Service.
Calls for Service:
As it pertains to teenagers (ages 13-19), the following are scenarios where Cornerstone Farms can help:
- Domestic Dispute/Violence
- Teen
- Suicide Attempt
- Violence
- Truancy
- Runaway
- Homelessness
- Bullying
- Living Conditions
Goals:
- De-escalate
- Evaluate
- Decide a course of action
- Advocate
- Offer programs for intervention and assistance
- Via existing partnerships
- One-on-one evaluation of need(s) and how assistance may be provided
The Emory Women’s Mental Health Program is an academic center of excellence for the psychiatric care of women. We provide state-of-the-art care for mental illness in women with an emphasis on pregnancy, the postpartum period, and breast-feeding. Learn More
Forsyth County Drug Awareness Council is an all-volunteer organization, except for our Director, made up of dozens of adult and youth citizens, community leaders, and partnerships. We work toward creating the healthiest possible community by employing strategies to decrease substance abuse and increase perception of harm. We donate our time, passion, and skills to help in a variety of ways and are always seeking more citizens, community leaders, and partner organizations who can join with us and strengthen drug prevention work throughout our county and state.
Our Vision: To have a healthy substance abuse-free Forsyth County
Our Mission: To educate, advocate, and empower the community to prevent substance abuse across the lifespan in Forsyth County, Georgia.
The mission of the Forsyth County Mental Health-Criminal Justice Task Force is to promote ongoing communication between the systems of mental health and criminal justice in order to guide our community (Forsyth County) to design, implement and operate integrated systems of care for persons with significant mental disabilities with or without chemical dependency.
Additional Information COMING SOON!
The Forsyth County Mental Health & Wellness Coalition has organized to explore ways to address the needs of Forsyth Countians with mental health issues. We believe by educating the community, giving support to those who need help, giving support to those who give help and protecting the community is the best work we can do. Learn More
- Mental Health & Wellness - Forsyth County Schools (May 2021): Presented by Rhonda Harris and Principal Jeff Cheney
- Georgia Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission - First Year Report (January 2021): Presented by Rep. Kevin Tanner
- DBHDD Overview - June 23, 2020: Presented by Dr. Hetal Patel, Region 1 RSA
- Mental Health & Wellness Coalition Meeting - May 18, 2022 via Zoom
- Mental Health & Wellness Coalition Meeting - January 19, 2022 via Zoom
- Mental Health & Wellness Coalition Meeting - October 20, 2021 via Zoom
Forsyth County’s Mental Health C.A.R.E. Program offers an alternative to incarceration for offenders with a documented history of severe and persistent mental illness whose legal charges are related to their mental illness. The program links individuals with mental health treatment services, and if needed, substance abuse treatment in addition to community resources that will allow them to live a healthy, productive life and reduce/eliminate future involvement with the criminal justice system. Learn More
Forsyth County Senior Services' mission to provide engaging, impactful life enrichment programs and services for adults age 50 and better in Forsyth County. Learn More
What is FCSO's Crisis Intervention Response Team?
The Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) is a special unit created by a partnership between the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and Avita Community Partners. The unit's primary goals are to provide a specialized response to citizens experiencing a mental health-related crisis, encourage connections between mental health consumers and local resource providers, and reduce the prevalence of mental illness in the Detention Center. The unit is funded in part by a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Justice and Mental Health Collaborative Program. The CIRT seeks to accomplish its goals by employing both reactive and proactive methods.
How does this partnership work? Three members currently make up our CIRT:
- Sgt. Terry Hawkins is team lead. Sgt Hawkins has had advanced training for this position through courses such as the GPSTC Crisis Intervention Team course, Mental Health First Aid, and many others. Sgt. Hawkins has been with FCSO for twenty years and is also a member of the Hostage Negotiations Team and the Peer Support Team.
- Julie Zemke is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Avita and works exclusively with FCSO as the CIRT clinician. Julie specializes in mental illness and substance abuse and is skilled in de-escalation. Julie can conduct on-scene assessments and advise on better outcomes for our citizens.
- Josh Bell is a Certified Peer Specialist with Avita who also works exclusively with FCSO. Josh seeks to assist Forsyth County citizens by linking them to local resource providers that may help with unmet needs, such as food, clothing, or coordinating appointments with mental health service professionals.
When FCSO receives mental health-related calls for service, Sgt Hawkins and Ms. Zemke often act as co-responders to those scenes, along with patrol deputies. CIRT will seek to de-escalate individuals experiencing a crisis and then advise on best practices to assist those persons in a way that caters to their unique situations. Examples of CIRT activities on scenes have included simply talking with people until emotional distress has subsided, setting up crisis plans with individuals and their families, setting up appointments with care providers, and occasionally involuntary commitment for an emergency examination.
When individuals are not in crisis but may live with a condition that puts them at risk of crisis, Mr. Bell can meet with them to advise and encourage them to maintain access to needed wellness resources.
Source: Forsyth County Sheriff's Office facebook page
TIP is a teen drug educational program provided by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. This program is focused on saving teen lives and redirecting them to make better choices in order to live successful lives. Learn More
The Total Wellness Collaborative is part of the Forsyth County Schools Strategic Plan to collaborate and engage the community.
Vision Statement: Mobilizing the community of Forsyth County to support the growth and success of all learners to lead a balanced and successful life. Learn More
FullCircle is centered around the Enthusiastic Sobriety Philosophy: the idea that young people will stop their self-destructive behavior only if they are offered an alternative that is both fun and fulfilling.
Young people often claim that the reason they used drugs or alcohol in the first place is that it seemed liked fun. Therefore any lifestyle without drugs and alcohol has to be more attractive than a life of drug or alcohol use. For a young person to gain sobriety and happiness, meeting their social and emotional needs is critical.
We provide an outlet for teenagers to be themselves while gaining tools to achieve a sober foundation to build upon throughout their life. The goals of enthusiastic sobriety are to allow a young person to remain true to themselves while improving their self-worth and interpersonal relationship skills. This is attained by providing young and enthusiastic counseling staff who are available to the members of the group for counseling and guidance at all events, social functions every weekend, a minimum of two individual meeting per week and an atmosphere of caring support and fun.
Working with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities’ (DBHDD) network of more than 600 providers, the Georgia Collaborative ASO facilitates the delivery of whole-health, person-centered and culturally sensitive supports and services to individuals and their families throughout the state. Learn More
Access to Crisis Services
For immediate access to routine or crisis services, please call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) at 1-800-715-4225. GCAL is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year to help you or someone you care for in a crisis. GCAL professionals will:
- Provide telephonic crisis intervention services
- Dispatch mobile crisis teams
- Assist individuals in finding an open crisis or detox bed across the State
- Link individuals with urgent appointment services
In addition, GCAL will help you to access a State Funded provider in your area in a non-emergency as well.
A nationally accredited Health Care Call Center, crisis center, and partner in the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Behavioral Health Link Crisis call Center is proud to operate the Georgia Crisis and Access Line.
Find a Provider through ReferralConnect
Text & Chat
Additionally, we are pleased to announce that Georgia’s youth can now access GCAL’s services via text and chat through a new app called My GCAL, which became available for download in late January 2019. Developed by Behavioral Health Link, the app will allow youth to call, text, or chat with GCAL 24/7/365. Help is in your pocket–just a click away. The caring professionals of GCAL are ready to help, and users can choose how they want to reach out.
Source: https://www.georgiacollaborative.com/providers/georgia-crisis-and-access-line-gcal/
The Division of Behavioral Health manages programs and services delivered by DBHDD’s community-based behavioral health providers, which are divided into three tiers:
TIER 1: Comprehensive Community Providers are DBHDD’s community service boards, which serve as the public safety net and offer a core benefit package, as well as additional specialty services.
TIER 2: Community Medicaid Providers ensure choice for individuals receiving Medicaid and offer a core benefit package.
TIER 3: Specialty Providers offer an array of specialty treatment and support needed in the continuum of care.
Prevent Suicide Georgia
The Suicide Prevention Program works to reduce the risk and impact of suicide in Georgia. Our work can be categorized into four main areas, which make up the Spectrum of Suicide Prevention.
Within each of these areas of prevention, the Suicide Prevention team uses a variety of approaches to address the unique needs of providers, partners, and communities. These approaches include:
- Data-driven decision making
- Collaborative partnerships
- Public policy
- Training & technical assistance
- Best practices & evidence-based interventions
- Postvention support
- Community capacity-building
The Lou Ruspi Jr. Foundation is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to bring suicide prevention and mental health awareness to schools, the community and other entities through educational and interactive presentations and resources, thus saving lives and bringing hope to those affected.
We creatively engage our audience by simulating real-life experiences and discussions. View our Programs page for a detailed description of our presentations. Learn More
NAMI FDL (Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin) is an affiliate of NAMI Georgia and NAMI National. We are currently meeting in Cumming, Georgia (near GA 400 & exit 15). Please join us for support or education. As our affiliate grows, we hope to have additional meeting locations. To know more about NAMI Georgia, visit www.namiga.org and to learn about NAMI National visit www.nami.org.
What is NAMI? National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. Founded in 1979, NAMI has become the nation’s voice on mental illness. It has grown into a national organization which includes affiliates in every state and in more than 1100 local communities across the country. Membership includes those dealing with a diagnosis, family, friends, mentors, mental health and criminal justice professionals. These partnerships help NAMI achieve its mission. Learn More
NAMI Georgia is an organization of families, friends and individuals whose lives have been affected by mental illness. Together, we advocate for better lives for those individuals who have a mental illness, and we offer support, education and advocacy as we do so. Learn More
The Suicide Prevention Program works to reduce the risk and impact of suicide in Georgia. Our work can be categorized into four main areas, which make up the Spectrum of Suicide Prevention.
Within each of these areas of prevention, the Suicide Prevention team uses a variety of approaches to address the unique needs of providers, partners, and communities. These approaches include:
- Data-driven decision making
- Collaborative partnerships
- Public policy
- Training & technical assistance
- Best practices & evidence-based interventions
- Postvention support
- Community capacity-building
Our Focus: We are dedicated to healing adversity and promoting resiliency in children and families through the prevention and early intervention of ACEs and sharing best practice to support Georgia’s System-of-Care implementation and coordination.
Our Mission: To lead a state-wide coalition to develop a closely-aligned and trauma-informed public and private network working toward a united vision to create a birth through 26 year old integrated behavioral health system. Key components to be implemented by our partners include prevention, early intervention, research, advocacy and policy, and System of Care implementation and coordination.
What We Do: Working across sectors, our partners create a common language and understanding about Adversity and Resilience through:
- Awareness Building
- Promotion of best practices
- Workforce development
- Advocacy
The Connection is a place for those who have committed to wellness and long-term recovery to find fellowship, peer coaching, fun sober social events and support for family members. Staying connected to a recovery community during early recovery is critical to long-term success. We do get better!
Learn More
The Summit Counseling Center provides professional counseling, consultation and education services utilizing an integrated approach to care for the whole person – Body, Mind, Spirit, and Relationships.
Learn More
United Way of Forsyth County fights for the HEALTH, EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY and BASIC NEEDS of every person in our community. We believe a quality Education leads to a stable job, which provides Financial Stability and the ability to meet Basic Needs and enjoy good Health. These are the building blocks for a good life and a thriving community. When you support United Way, you are helping to create a stronger, healthier Forsyth County and a brighter future for all. Learn More
To find resources available to residents of Forsyth and Dawson Counties, click here to go to our on-line community resource guide.