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Category: Health

  • Georgia to build first new state psychiatric hospital in more than 50 years

    Georgia to build first new state psychiatric hospital in more than 50 years

    Georgia to build first new state psychiatric hospital in more than 50 years

    Georgia is moving forward with plans to build its first new state psychiatric hospital in more than five decades, a project aimed at reducing the growing number of people in jail waiting for court-ordered mental health treatment.

    According to the Georgia Recorder, lawmakers approved $409 million for a 300-bed forensic hospital that will be built near Georgia Regional Hospital in DeKalb County. The facility will serve people with mental illness or developmental disabilities who have been charged with crimes and ordered by a court to receive psychiatric treatment. More than 700 Georgians are currently waiting for placement in a state hospital, leaving many in county jails for months.

    Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Kevin Tanner said the additional beds are urgently needed to reduce the backlog and improve access to care.

    The project comes as Georgia works to shorten wait times through a recent agreement with mental health advocates that requires faster evaluations and admissions for forensic patients.

    Mental health advocates told the Georgia Recorder they support expanding treatment capacity but caution that increasing hospital beds should not come at the expense of community-based care. They argue continued investment in crisis centers, housing assistance and outpatient treatment is essential to helping people recover in the least restrictive setting possible.

    State officials say the new hospital is one part of a broader effort to strengthen Georgia’s mental health system while expanding access to care across the state.

  • Atlanta’s shortage of accessible public restrooms poses health and homelessness challenges, study finds

    Atlanta’s shortage of accessible public restrooms poses health and homelessness challenges, study finds

    Atlanta’s shortage of accessible public restrooms poses health and homelessness challenges, study finds

    More than half of Atlanta’s publicly listed restrooms aren’t actually open to everyone, according to a new Georgia State University study that highlights growing concerns about public health and homelessness.

    The Georgia Recorder reports researchers with Georgia State University’s School of Public Health surveyed 262 restrooms in parks, libraries, transit stations, restaurants, gas stations and retail stores. They found 55% were either restricted to customers, closed to the public or otherwise inaccessible.

    Assistant Professor April Ballard, who co-led the study, said inconsistent restroom access creates challenges for anyone in the city but can become a serious health issue for people experiencing homelessness. She said delaying bathroom use or lacking access to hygiene facilities can increase the risk of urinary tract infections, kidney damage and the spread of illnesses such as Hepatitis A.

    Brad Schweers, executive director of the Atlanta nonprofit Intown Cares, said the lack of accessible restrooms also strips people of dignity and makes it harder for those experiencing homelessness to meet basic needs.

    Atlanta officials say they are working to improve access. The city recently installed 10 solar-powered Throne Labs smart restrooms in parks, nature preserves and along the BeltLine as part of an effort to expand public sanitation.

    The study comes as Georgia enforces House Bill 295, signed earlier this year by Gov. Brian Kemp, allowing property owners to sue local governments over failures to enforce certain laws related to homelessness, including public urination. Schweers argued the law creates a difficult situation for people who have nowhere else to go, saying expanded restroom access is a more effective solution than increased enforcement.

  • CDC probes Cyclospora spike as Georgia cases grow

    CDC probes Cyclospora spike as Georgia cases grow

    CDC probes Cyclospora spike as Georgia cases grow

    Georgia physicians are encouraging people with persistent diarrhea to seek medical care and ask about Cyclospora testing as health officials work to determine what is driving an increase in infections across the country.

    The parasitic illness can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including frequent watery diarrhea, nausea, bloating, fatigue and, in some cases, a low-grade fever. Doctors warn that prolonged illness can quickly lead to dehydration, particularly among older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems.

    Dr. Frita Fisher of Midtown Atlanta Nephrology said some patients have reported experiencing diarrhea as many as 40 times a day, making prompt medical evaluation essential.

    She also noted that Cyclospora is not routinely included in standard laboratory testing, meaning patients may need to specifically request that healthcare providers test for the parasite.

    Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a multistate increase in Cyclospora infections after confirming 843 domestically acquired cases in 31 states. The illnesses have resulted in 86 hospitalizations, though no deaths have been reported. Officials expect those numbers to increase as additional cases are confirmed.

    Investigators have not yet identified the food responsible for the outbreak.

    Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that spreads through contaminated food or water rather than through typical person-to-person contact. Previous outbreaks have often been linked to fresh produce.

    Dr. Colleen Kraft, an infectious disease specialist at Emory University, said identifying the source can be challenging because symptoms may not appear until two days to two weeks after exposure.

    That delay often makes it difficult for patients to accurately remember what they ate before becoming sick, limiting investigators’ ability to identify a common source.

    Despite the ongoing investigation, doctors are not advising people to avoid fruits and vegetables. Instead, they recommend washing produce under running water, practicing proper hand hygiene and safely preparing food whenever possible.

    Fisher said washing produce can reduce contamination but does not eliminate Cyclospora, adding that thorough cooking is the only reliable way to kill the parasite. Because many fruits and vegetables are consumed raw, health experts stress the importance of recognizing symptoms and seeking treatment when illness persists.

  • Georgia Researchers Test New Microneedle Treatment for Peanut Allergies

    Georgia Researchers Test New Microneedle Treatment for Peanut Allergies

    Georgia Researchers Test New Microneedle Treatment for Peanut Allergies

    A new experimental treatment being tested in Georgia could offer people with peanut allergies a simpler way to build protection against accidental exposure.

    According to GPB, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is leading a multi-site clinical trial evaluating a microneedle stamp that delivers tiny amounts of peanut allergen through the outer layers of the skin. Researchers hope the approach will safely train the immune system while avoiding the need for patients to consume peanuts during treatment.

    The device was developed by Atlanta-based biotech company Moonlight Therapeutics after its founders completed postdoctoral research at Georgia Tech. The FDA cleared the technology for its first human clinical trial in late 2025.

    Company President and CEO Samir Patel said the stamp is minimally invasive, worn for just three minutes and is designed with the goal of eventually being used at home.

    The study is enrolling adults to determine whether the microneedle technology is less painful than injections and more effective than existing skin patches at improving the body’s immune response to peanut allergens.

    Dr. Brian Vickery, chief of Allergy and Immunology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the trial’s principal investigator, said the technology allows researchers to deliver a highly controlled dose of allergen, addressing a challenge seen with some previous immunotherapy treatments.

    If the trial proves successful, researchers hope to expand testing to adolescents and eventually younger children. With thousands of children in metro Atlanta living with peanut allergies, investigators say the research could lay the groundwork for a new treatment option that is easier to administer and more accessible for families.

  • Proposed Southeast Gas Pipelines Face Growing Opposition Ahead of Federal Decision

    Proposed Southeast Gas Pipelines Face Growing Opposition Ahead of Federal Decision

    Proposed Southeast Gas Pipelines Face Growing Opposition Ahead of Federal Decision

    A pair of proposed natural gas pipelines stretching nearly 500 miles across Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi is drawing renewed criticism as federal regulators prepare to decide whether the projects can move forward.

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has completed its final environmental impact statement and is expected to issue a decision before the end of the month.

    If approved, the pipelines, proposed by Kinder Morgan, would cross hundreds of waterways throughout the three states. The company says the projects are necessary to meet increasing energy demand across the Southeast.

    Environmental groups, however, argue the pipelines would place significant environmental and property burdens on local communities while serving energy needs beyond Alabama’s borders.

    Cindy Lowry, executive director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, said many Alabama residents would shoulder the risks even though much of the anticipated demand comes from neighboring Georgia, where rapidly expanding data centers are driving electricity consumption.

    Critics also question whether additional fossil fuel infrastructure is needed, arguing that investments should instead focus on cleaner energy sources.

    Concerns extend beyond environmental impacts. Louie Miller, state director of the Sierra Club’s Mississippi Chapter, said property owners along the proposed route could lose land through the use of eminent domain if FERC authorizes the projects. He said the process allows pipeline companies to acquire private property even when landowners object.

    Miller also argued that federal oversight of pipeline safety and inspections has been weakened under the Trump administration. Lowry added that Alabama’s lack of statewide water-use regulations could leave communities more vulnerable to the water demands associated with large fossil fuel projects.

    The White House has defended its regulatory approach, saying the changes support its broader goal of expanding domestic energy production under its “energy dominance” agenda.

  • Georgia lawmakers, advocates cite BioLab fire in fight over federal chemical safety rules

    Georgia lawmakers, advocates cite BioLab fire in fight over federal chemical safety rules

    Georgia lawmakers, advocates cite BioLab fire in fight over federal chemical safety rules

    Supporters of stronger chemical safety regulations are pointing to the 2024 BioLab fire in Conyers as they push back against congressional efforts to change the nation’s primary law governing hazardous chemicals.

    Earlier this year, members of Congress considered amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate dangerous chemicals. Business groups argue the current law places unnecessary burdens on innovation, while environmental and public health advocates say weakening the statute would put communities at greater risk.

    Sarah Vogel, senior vice president of healthy communities at the Environmental Defense Fund, said revisions made to the law in 2016 are finally beginning to remove dangerous chemicals from the marketplace. She warned that reopening the law could reverse that progress.

    “We are concerned that there’s a concerted effort in Congress to reopen this law and to take measures that we think would significantly weaken it and leave the public unprotected,” Vogel said.

    The debate comes months after a massive fire at BioLab’s Conyers facility forced thousands of residents from their homes and sent a chemical plume across parts of metro Atlanta. Georgia Tech researchers later identified 26 chemicals in the air following the incident.

    State Sen. Tonya Anderson, D-Lithonia, whose district includes Conyers, said the BioLab disaster demonstrates why strong oversight remains necessary.

    “If those protections are weakened, then you will have corporations falling back or doing as least as possible or minimal to maintain a standard of safety,” Anderson said. “We saw this with the BioLab.”

    The fallout from the fire is still unfolding. Earlier this month, three people, including two sheriff’s deputies, sued BioLab, alleging the company ignored safety warnings for years and that they suffered lung injuries as a result of the disaster.

    BioLab has since suspended production at its Conyers facility, and a compensation program has been established for people affected by the fire. Advocates say the incident underscores what could happen in other communities if federal chemical safety protections are weakened.

  • New initiative brings on-site mental health care to metro Atlanta youth clubs

    New initiative brings on-site mental health care to metro Atlanta youth clubs

    New initiative brings on-site mental health care to metro Atlanta youth clubs

    A new investment in youth mental health will bring licensed therapists directly into Boys & Girls Clubs across metro Atlanta, expanding access to behavioral health services for children where they already spend their afternoons.

    According to GPB, the effort is a collaboration between CHRIS 180 and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, made possible through funding from The Rich’s Foundation. The three-year grant will place two therapists at club locations while equipping employees with training to better support children who have experienced trauma.

    Rather than expecting families to navigate transportation, scheduling or other challenges associated with traditional counseling, the therapists will work inside the clubs, allowing young people to receive care in a familiar environment.

    The initiative extends beyond therapy sessions. Club employees will learn how to recognize behavioral signs that may indicate trauma and develop strategies for responding in ways that help children feel safe and supported throughout the day.

    GPB reports the grant will strengthen services across the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta network, which includes 26 locations. Organizers say the goal is to build a stronger support system for children by combining direct mental health care with trauma-informed practices among staff.

    Kristin Hathaway Hansen, program director for The Rich’s Foundation, said the partnership demonstrates how organizations can work together to address unmet needs in the community.

    “This grant underscores the power of organizational collaboration,” Hansen said. “This new program addresses a real need in our community and offers an opportunity to make an even greater impact on the health and well-being of local families.”

  • Healthcare costs, medical debt burden Georgians as advocacy campaign launches

    Healthcare costs, medical debt burden Georgians as advocacy campaign launches

    Healthcare costs, medical debt burden Georgians as advocacy campaign launches

    Nearly half of working age adults in 2025 found it difficult to afford healthcare in the U.S., and Georgia residents face twice as much medical debt as the rest of the country, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting. 

    Laura Colbert, executive director of Georgians for a Healthy Future, said the interests of corporations often outweigh the interests of patients.

    “So, we’re seeing people have to choose between having health insurance and maintaining the rest of their household budgets,” Colbert said. “We’ve seen folks make that difficult decision and have to drop coverage.”

    Georgians who receive health insurance through Georgia Access have seen their premiums rise by 114% on average since 2025 due to Congress failing to renew healthcare subsidies. Plus, HR 1, or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, made significant changes to Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplace, which will result in Georgia losing more than $5 billion in Medicaid funding over the next several years.

    “That’s not an amount the state can make up on its own, and so cuts will have to happen elsewhere,” she said.

    “One Nation, Overcharged” is a movement of 140 organizations advocating for healthcare, civil rights and racial equity. The campaign plans to host panels and social events in Atlanta, Savannah and other parts of the state over the summer.

  • Genetic testing may help personalize mental health treatment in Georgia

    Genetic testing may help personalize mental health treatment in Georgia

    Genetic testing may help personalize mental health treatment in Georgia

    A national survey by Myriad Genetics found that many people with depression or anxiety would feel more confident with a personalized mental health plan instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.

    Crystal Nelson, a board-certified psychiatrist in Newnan, said treatment does not have to work that way especially when using pharmacogenetic testing. Nelson has been using the testing for 11 years.

    “It’s a simple cheek swab test that any clinician can order on their patient,” Nelson explained. “It will give them some information back telling them how the patient’s genes could impact the outcomes to the medication.”

    In Georgia, 1.8 million adults struggle with a mental health condition, which is a 31% increase since 2023, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Georgia.

    Nelson said genetic testing helps narrow down the list of 60 potential medications to as few as three, depending on the results. One of Nelson’s patients had tried multiple medications without success.

    “She was on medications that were not working, and when we did the GeneSight test, it suggested some medications that I would’ve never gone to,” Nelson recounted. “I put the lady on this medication, and she went into remission on a very low dose. I was able to take her from two medications down to one.”

    Critics say the evidence for genetic testing is still developing and changing, but a 2025 study showed promising results. The study found that testing improved symptom-free remission by 41%.

    Nelson encourages patients to ask their providers about testing. 

  • Emory leads $15 million study on Superfund sites and Coastal Georgia health

    Emory leads $15 million study on Superfund sites and Coastal Georgia health

    Emory leads $15 million study on Superfund sites and Coastal Georgia health

    Emory University will lead a research project to explore the link between Superfund sites and the health of Glynn County residents.

    Superfund sites refer to industrial areas that the federal government has designated as highly contaminated and requiring monitoring and ongoing cleanup.

    The five-year, $15 million study is funded through the National Institutes of Environmental Health and was awarded after Emory researchers completed a pilot study in 2023 in the county, which is home to Brunswick and St. George’s Island.

    The research will be conducted in partnership with university faculty from the University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Spelman College, and Texas Tech University.

    Dana Barr is the director of the new Superfund Research Center and professor of environmental health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.

    She told GPB News that it is important to understand whether exposure to toxic chemicals is an ongoing issue.

    “We can prevent further exposure, and then we can try to understand what these chemicals are doing inside their bodies to them,” Barr said. “More than anything, I think the people in the area really want answers.” 

    Healthy Coastal Neighborhoods, a group dedicated to promoting healthy neighborhoods, and Emory researchers will hold a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. on June 24 at Howard Coffin Park to share updates about the project.