Interview with Eve Byrd, April 12, 2017

Partial Transcript: Do you remember when the series of articles started in the Atlanta Journal Constitution...

Segment Synopsis: Byrd recalls finding out about the articles written about Georgia's psychiatric systems and care by The Atlanta-Journal Constitution around 2007 that exposed the conditions of patients in Georgia psychiatric institutions. Byrd states that she and Tom Bornemann (director of The Carter Center's Mental Health Program) came together with leaders of the mental health institutions to discuss what needed to be done to improve the conditions of Georgia psychiatric institutions. Byrd recalls how, after the articles were released, Georgia mental health professionals and government leaders began to collaborate with the purpose of creating change in the Georgia health care system.

Keywords: Carter Center's Mental Health Program; Dr. William McDonald; Fuqua Center for Late Life Depression; The Atlanta Journal Constitution; Tom Bornemann

Partial Transcript: I've always been curious, what was it like to do the tour and what you had to do to support the two of them?

Segment Synopsis: Byrd reflects her experience working with Dr. William McDonald (chair of the Fuqua Center for Late Life Depression at Emory Univerity) after the articles written by The Atlanta-Journal Constitution criticizing Georgia's mental healthcare system were released. Byrd mentions that role during the public response that ensued was to "keep the conversation going" between community leaders, government, and medical personnel. Byrd recalls the removal of children and adolescents from mental health institutions in Georgia after it was discovered that Department of Justice representatives would be inspecting the institutions. Byrd states that the relocating caused the exclusion of children and adolescents from the Georgia settlement versus the Department of Justice (DOJ) settlement (which assigned standards for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to be adhered to by the year 2015).

Keywords: Department of Justice (DOJ); Fuqua Center for Late Life Depression; Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD); Stakeholders; William (Bill ) McDonald

Partial Transcript: And we continued to struggle in the state of Georgia to really grow capacity...

Segment Synopsis: Byrd explains how mental health representatives on behalf of the State Department of Georgia partnered with the Fuqua Center for Late Life Depression at Emory University in the efforts to fix the mental healthcare system of Georgia. Byrd shares how she believes that the settlement agreement changed how the behavioral health stakeholders and the Department of Behavioral Health worked together for the better. Byrd shares how the state government of Georgia grew to be more involved in the affairs of the Department of Behavioral Health, which she claims is another upshot of the settlement. Byrd talks about how, as director of the Carter Center's Mental Health Program, she works for the improvement of the conditions of children and adolescents, who were initially excluded from the settlement agreement between the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Keywords: Carter Center's Mental Health Program; Department of Behavioral Health; Division of Aging; Emory University; Fuqua Center for Late Life Depression; Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD); William McDonald

Partial Transcript: So the gaping hole in the settlement agreement, or the area that they are struggling the most with is developmental disabilities.

Segment Synopsis: Byrd explains how the government should not isolate developmental disabilities and other marginally-viewed disabilities such as substance use. Byrd explains how the lack of a workforce in Georgia presently hinders the full transition of mentally disabled patients from living in institutions to community living. Byrd talks about the need for training more young people in psychiatric care in order to provide quality service for those suffering with mental disabilities. Byrd and the interviewer discuss the shift from the old medical model to the "recovery model" adopted by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) after the settlement agreement. Byrd talks about how the legal language involved between the medical community and the DBHDD often led to miscommunications and unnecessary arguments.

Keywords: Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD); developmental disabilities; nursing

Partial Transcript: The advocates asked to speak with Dr. Shelp individually...

Segment Synopsis: Byrd relates an incident in the attorney Josh Norris had to be removed from a meeting held between Dr. Shelp (Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities) and advocacy groups regarding the settlement. Byrd recalls how attorneys were not allowed attendance to meetings which caused Josh Norris to be removed. Byrd reflects how the settlement agreement was carried out in a timely and effective manner, and she gives special recognition to the officials of The Carter Center Mental Health program who assisted in beneficial developments for patients and stakeholders despite political tensions.

Keywords: Department of Justice; Dr. Frank Shelp; Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD); Josh Norris; The Carter Center Mental Health Program