Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) Commissioner Frank Berry joins area state legislators, local officials and community leaders today to announce the construction of a new Behavioral Health Crisis Center (BHCC) in Lowndes County.

The BHCC will feature 24 beds and six temporary observation beds at an approximate annual investment of $5 million. 

In total, DBHDD plans to invest more than $17.5 million annually in expanded infrastructure and services throughout Region Four for Georgians who live with mental health challenges. This amount is in addition to the numerous other mental health services the agency currently provides.

New or expanded services will include BHCCs, Crisis Stabilization Units, Intensive Case Management Teams and Mobile Crisis teams. The Lowndes County BHCC and others in Region Four will become emergency receiving facilities for law enforcement to drop off individuals who require mental health services.

The Region Four office is one of six administrative field offices in the DBHDD regional system that works to develop a community-based system of care for its clients. DBHDD Region Four includes the following counties: Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Colquitt, Cook, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner and Worth.