§ 37-2-3 — Designation of boundaries for mental health, development disabilities, and addictive diseases regions; community service board areas

(a) The board shall designate boundaries for mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases regions and may modify the boundaries of such regions from time to time as deemed necessary by the board. (b) The department, with the approval of the commissioner, shall designate community service board areas, which shall serve as boundaries for the establishment of community service boards within this state for the purpose of delivering disability services. The department shall be authorized to initiate the redesignation of such community service board area boundaries and may consider requests from a county or group of counties or a community service board or a group of community service boards for recommended changes to the boundaries of the community service board areas. The department, with the approval of the commissioner, is authorized to redesignate two or more community service board areas as a single community service board area. Two or more community service boards may request that the department, with the approval of the commissioner, merge the community service board areas served by such boards into a single community service board area. If the department, with the approval of the commissioner, authorizes the redesignation or merging of community services board areas pursuant to this paragraph, the assets, equipment, and resources of such community service boards shall become the assets, equipment, and resources of the reconstituted community service board serving the successor single board area. It is the intent of the General Assembly not to limit a community service board to serving only those counties within the boundaries of its community service board area. (c) To the extent practicable, the boundaries for regional planning boards and offices and community service areas shall not subdivide any county unit. In dividing the state into areas, the board and the department shall take into consideration such factors as geographic boundaries, roads and other means of transportation, population concentrations, city and county lines, other relevant community services, and community economic and social relationships. Consideration shall also be given to the existence of facilities and personnel available in the areas for the delivery of disability services.

Legislative History

Amended by 2014 Ga. Laws 538,§ 3, eff. 4/16/2014. Amended by 2011 Ga. Laws 244,§ 6-3, eff. 7/1/2011. Amended by 2009 Ga. Laws 102,§ 3-1, eff. 7/1/2009. Amended by 2006 Ga. Laws 544,§ 4, eff. 7/1/2006. Amended by 2002 Ga. Laws 971, § 1-7, eff. 7/1/2002.