Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal’s http://gov.georgia.gov “State of the State” address included a ideas on many topics but some of the thoughts in the address were related to healthcare. An important area that affects healthcare is the protection needed against cyber-attacks.
The proposed FY 2018 budget includes suggested funding for $50 million to construct the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center in Augusta Georgia. The state-owned facility is designed to modernize cybersecurity technology for both private and public industries. This statewide initiative will bring organizations together to cope more effectively in this digital age.
The statewide initiative will include financial institutions, public utilities, healthcare providers, banking systems, software development companies, manufacturers, and other entities with a cyber infrastructure.
Addressing another important issue, the Governor stressed the need for more concentration on autism and other mental health issues. The Governor is going to work with members of the legislature to enhance the Medicaid and State Health Benefit Plan coverage for treatments for those individuals diagnosed with autism up to the age of 21.
Also, the Child Welfare Reform Council http://gov.georgia.gov/child-welfare-reform-council has advocated expanding behavioral and mental health coverage for children between birth and the age of four.
Currently community behavioral health services are offered only to Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids www.peachcare.org members’ age four and up. The proposed budget includes roughly $2.5 million dedicated to covering the full child population of Medicaid and PeachCare for children with behavioral and mental health issues.
The Governor is also seeking legislation to remove barriers to mental health services for veterans. Funding will be used to train existing employees on services provided by the state and federal government. These measures also complement the $3 million in bonds included in the current fiscal year budget for a sub-acute rehabilitation facility to provide behavioral health service to veterans who have TBI or PTSD.
Another area of vital concern is the ongoing epidemic that ravages communities in Georgia involving opioid addiction. The Governor last month signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Public Health http://dph.georgia.gov to issue a standing order to allow naloxone, an emergency drug used to reverse opioid overdoses to be dispensed over the counter by pharmacists across the state.
The Governor also requested that the Georgia Board of Pharmacy http://gdp.georgia.gov approve an emergency rule removing naloxone from the dangerous drug list and reclassify it as a Schedule V exempt drug. Also, in conjunction with the opioid addiction epidemic, the Governor has signed an Executive Order to strengthen the state’s prescription drug monitoring program