What is a 1013 in Georgia?

The 72-hour Mental Health Hold Georgia Laws and Process

Mental health has been a huge topic in recent years, and for good reason. It’s important for people to get the care they need for their mental health issues, and the stigma is slowly being removed from mental health treatment.

If you have been searching for “What is a 1013 Georgia” to learn more about how the laws in the Peach State relate to a mental health crisis, this page will clear up any confusion and help you know what to expect in this situation.

The Basics of a 1013 in Georgia

A 1013 form in Georgia is used to initiate an involuntary mental health hold. This is a legal process that is used to ensure that people who are experiencing a severe mental health crisis are able to get immediate evaluation and care – even if they don’t know that they need it, or want to receive it, at the time.

This is an important part of mental health treatment in Georgia because anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can be at risk of serious consequences. If you or a loved one have been dealing with mental health challenges that escalate to a certain point – more on that below – a 1013 form may be issued. When that happens, the affected individual will be transported to an approved facility for psychiatric evaluation and treatment.

When Can a 1013 Be Issued?

As a starting point, a 1013 can only be issued by licensed mental health professionals. That group can include those with titles like psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors. Despite what some believe, law enforcement officers do not issue 1013s. The role of law enforcement could be to transport you or a loved one once the 1013 has been issued by the appropriate professional.

So, what kinds of signs or symptoms will mental health professionals be looking for when deciding whether or not to issue an involuntary hold? Those include the following –

• Threats of suicide or self-harm
• Violent behaviors toward others
• Severe delusions or hallucinations
• Inability to perform basic self-care tasks due to mental illness

This is not an exhaustive list, but it is a good starting point for what signs during a mental health crisis might point to the need for a 1013. If the 1013 is issued and you or a loved one is placed under an involuntary hold, there will be a specific process that unfolds from that point – and we will highlight that process in the next section.

Here’s What to Expect During a 72-Hour Hold

In the state of Georgia, the 1013 hold is a 72-hour mental health hold process. This three-day span is an important period during which a number of mental health professionals will likely be involved in the case. Those professionals will determine the condition of the individual under the hold and determine the appropriate next steps for treatment.

To better understand what will happen during the hold, it might help to break it down into four segments.

Admission and Evaluation

This is where everything begins after the 1013 form has been completed and the hold is in place. A thorough medical and psychological evaluation will be completed to assess the mental state of the individual and identify any immediate risks that may exist. During this phase, a treatment plan will be created to determine what kinds of services could be provided to help stabilize the individual and avoid future mental health emergencies.

Observation and Treatment

As the hold moves along, you or a loved one will be monitored by a medical and mental health team. It may be necessary to administer medications, complete therapy sessions, or utilize other crisis intervention techniques. The goal during this phase is to stabilize the mental health condition that is being faced so further mental health care can come next.

Family Communication

If your loved one is placed under a 1013 hold, you may be contacted by the facility that is providing care to your family member. They might ask questions about the individual’s mental health or anything else that is helpful in managing mental health crises. It should be noted that there are privacy laws in place that protect the rights of the person placed under the hold. There might be limited information that the facility can provide to you at this point unless your loved one grants them permission to share more about the case.

Reassessment for Further Care

As the 72-hour period draws to a close, the psychiatric team will reassess the condition of the individual who has been under the hold. This evaluation will decide if they need to get further treatment for their mental health issues, or if they can effectively and safely be discharged at this time.

Potential Outcomes After the Hold Period Has Passed

Each 1013 case in Georgia is unique. While there is a general protocol that is followed from one case to the next, as discussed above, the mental health professionals managing each case have to use their experience and expertise to determine the best course of action.

In some cases, the end of the 72-hour hold will be a discharge with follow-up care scheduled. This happens when the healthcare professionals feel that the individual’s mental state has improved to a point where they are no longer a threat to themselves or others. Often, it will be recommended that the individual released from the hold seek therapy, medication management, or other forms of mental health care.

It’s also possible that the individual will recognize that they need further care and will agree to stay for a voluntary admission. That would technically mark the end of the 1013 and the case would switch to a voluntary hospitalization plan. If the individual does not want to agree to a voluntary admission, but the healthcare team believes that a threat still exists, an extended hold could be applied, which is known as a 1014. If the healthcare team thinks that the mental health disorder is at a point that requires an extended involuntary commitment, a judge will typically be required to review the case and approve the commitment.

What Individuals and Families Should Know

For the loved ones of someone placed under a 1013 hold, the experience can be overwhelming. You may not have gone through anything like this before, and you might not understand the basics of your rights in the process and what to expect. We’ve already gone through some of what will happen when mental health professionals evaluate your loved one during the 72-hour hold, but there are some other things you should know.

For one thing, just to be clear, a 1013 in Georgia is not a criminal charge. This is a medical intervention that is meant to keep everyone safe, but it is not a charge or an arrest. Also, as a family member, your support in this time can make all the difference. If you are able to be supportive along with the comprehensive mental health services that your loved one is receiving, that could help get the road to recovery started and hopefully lasting improvement will be right around the corner.

Help is Available at Ingrained Recovery

At some point, whether it is after the initial 72-hour hold, or after a longer period of time, this experience will be over and it will be time to figure out what is next. Of course, it’s unlikely that the mental health treatment that was received during this short episode will be enough to completely solve all of the problems that you or a loved one has been facing.

For a next step, consider turning to Ingrained Recovery by placing a call to our helpful and understanding team. We have a wide range of programs available and we always customize the treatment plans we use to perfectly suit the needs of each client. Whether mental health emergencies are something that you have been through before, or this event is the first time that something like this has happened, getting professional help is a wise move.

A 1013 in Georgia Can Be an Opportunity for a Fresh Start

The experience of going through a 1013 in Georgia is certainly not something that you or a loved one want to face – but it can be seen as an opportunity to turn life in a new direction. If you or a loved one has been dealing with a serious mental illness, it might take this kind of event to finally pursue the mental health care that is needed to support lasting recovery.

At Ingrained Recovery, we would be proud to play a role in this process. Our team of mental health professionals is ready and standing by to provide the appropriate, steady care that is needed to overcome these challenges and emerge in a better state on the other side. Please take a moment today to give us a call and learn more about the services that we can provide.