I am deeply disturbed by a serious danger facing intellectually disabled patients in our healthcare system in Georgia.  There is a grievous issue to be addressed: intellectually disabled patients are being mishandled, even violated, in psychiatric institutions.  In many cases, these patients find themselves in psychiatric facilities that are not equipped to care for patients with intellectual disabilities because they are unwillingly transferred there by Georgia emergency rooms.  

Would you want your loved one to be placed in harm's way by an unsafe transfer to a psychiatric facility that is not equipped to keep your loved one safe from physical harm? 

When a Georgia emergency room transfers an intellectually disabled patient to a psychiatric facility that is not able to provide physical protection as necessary for the patient’s level of functioning, the consequences are devastating: there are reports of physical and emotional abuse, including rape, within these psychiatric settings. Such grave violations of human rights cannot be ignored or allowed to continue any longer.

I am calling on the Georgia Department of Community Health and the Georgia Advocacy Office to urgently investigate the disturbing practice of Georgia emergency rooms transferring intellectually disabled patients to psychiatric facilities that are not equipped to provide appropriate safeguards for these patients, much less appropriate treatment. A detailed investigation into how and why these transfers are happening is needed, along with the development of accountability measures to ensure the safety and well-being of intellectually disabled patients. 

Patients with intellectual disabilities have the same rights with respect to safety, including safe transfers, and dignity as non-disabled patients. The Georgia Advocacy Office is the federally funded and federally mandated protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities in the state of Georgia. They, along with the Department of Community Health, are uniquely positioned to investigate these serious concerns.

Let's shine a light on the unsafe transfer practices of Georgia emergency rooms when presented with a patient with an intellectual disability and mental health concerns and demand immediate action. If we stand together, we can press the Department of Community Health and the Georgia Advocacy Office to investigate and ensure safeguards for the most vulnerable among us. 

Please join me in demanding that the Georgia Department of Community Health and the Georgia Advocacy Office conduct meaningful investigations of these unsafe practices.  Please sign this petition to show your support for an investigation into this pressing issue and help provide a voice for our vulnerable loved ones.

Thank you.