Metro Atlanta nonprofit pushes for mental health resources at Fulton County Jail

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A Metro Atlanta nonprofit wrote letters to officials regarding mental health resources in Fulton County Jail and asked for assistance.

Lamar Handy has a nonprofit called the DL Handy Foundation and addressed one of the letters to Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat asking what current programs are in place and if his organization is able to provide its own help to inmates.

“Even though people are incarcerated, people still deserve to have fair treatment,” Handy said. “And then to have resources needed, especially when dealing with things such as mental health.”

Handy knows firsthand what it’s like to have a loved one incarcerated while suffering from mental illness. But he said it’s the feeling of not knowing if they’re being taken care of that makes it hard.

There are similar stories of Fulton County inmates, like Samuel Lawrence, who suffered from mental illness and died in jail.

“Let us come inside the jail and do some kind of training on how to deal with those who have mental health issues,” Handy said. “To see exactly what they can do to be better trained as employees.”

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office said most mental health services are offered by their provider, Naphcare, a team of licensed mental health professionals.

The health program manager told Atlanta News First that mental health screenings are conducted as part of the intake process, allowing early identification and treatment for those who need it.

Naphcare also employs a psychiatrist and mid-level psychiatric providers who do things such as prescribe medications, according to officials.

The sheriff’s office said they welcome community partnership and do currently partner with local organizations.

Handy said he hopes to be a part of the solution.

“Let’s sit down and have a table conversation, let’s get some therapists I have on hand and sit down to look at the plan,” he said. “And maybe that plan you have needs to be tweaked coming from somebody from the outside.”

The sheriff’s office told Atlanta News First any organization that wants to partner to provide mental health services should contact the health program manager at the jail with a proposal.

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