Our six county Oconee Mental Health Area is largely rural, and is about 100 miles from one end to the other. It is approximately 2O miles from one county seat to that in a neighboring county. In the Oconee Area there are an estimated 2000 seriously mentally ill adults. Of these, about 1400 per year get public services. Others receive private care, and some receive none at all, primarily due to Stigma and lack of insurance .
Families provide primary care-giving for most people who have mental illness.
Central State Hospital , a state psychiatric hospital, is located in Milledgeville, Georgia, at the geographic center of our mental health service area. No private hospital beds are available in our communities. In Georgia we have 27 Mental Health Service Areas to provide public services to those with Mental Illness, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse. Members are appointed by the County Commissioners of our six counties. Fifty percent of the board members must be persons with mental illness, mental retardation, or substance abuse, or their family members must have such conditions.