A Need for Mental Health Resources in Southwest Georgia
February 16, 2022
Throughout his time at PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie, Brannan De Voto Noonan (DO ‘24), has advocated for mental health awareness
and resources. After working in the emergency room for three years, he saw the need
for greater mental health treatment and more resources in the healthcare setting.
With that experience and passion, he has partnered with Moultrie organizations and
serves on the Mental Health Task Force, creating mental health awareness and resources
in the Moultrie community.
“The stigma surrounding mental illness, substance abuse and mental health issues as
well as the quality of care being given to these patients is far less than they deserve,”
he said. “I am passionate about this because I have seen first-hand how impactful,
and if it is not correctly cared for, how harmful substance abuse and mental illness
can be to friends and families.”
The task force shares a multi-level and integrated strategy for improving local infrastructure
to address issues related to mental health in rural, Southwest Georgia communities.
It is composed of community partners including Michelle Cope, Founder and CEO of the
Yellow Elephant; Lynn Wilson, President of NAMI Moultrie; Sarah Adams, UGA Archway
Professional; Police Chief Sean Ladson of The Moultrie Police Department; Marci Meadows,
City of Moultrie Director of Human Resources as well as others.
“It's an honor to be a part of this valuable partnership,” Sarah Adams, Colquitt County
Archway Professional, said. “Being able to help connect resources to enhance quality
of life in our community has been one of the most fulfilling opportunities I've had
in my career. I'm thankful and excited to see our new medical school so involved and
invested in the community. The Mental Health Initiative hopes to be a model for other
rural communities across the nation.“
Together, the organizations are working to establish a co-responder model involving
law enforcement and clinicians. The goal is for these professionals to work together
when they receive a call from someone who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
“This project was created to better serve the mental health community in Moultrie
by intervening earlier in the treatment process and being able to provide more appropriate
care of these patients when law enforcement is called,” said De Voto Noonan.
The task force will also provide recommendations for how others might begin addressing
mental health issues in their communities at the upcoming Gulf-South Summit. According
to its website, the annual summit promotes networking among practitioners, research,
ethical practices, reciprocal campus-community partnerships, sustainable programs
and a culture of engagement and public awareness through service-learning and other
forms of civic engagement. The task force will be part of a panel that will discuss
mental health issues, engaging students for service-based learning initiatives, co-responder
models and forming collaborative partnerships.
De Voto Noonan will be representing PCOM South Georgia at the summit and will speak
on behalf of the Mental Health Task Force.
“As a PCOM medical student as well as a member of the Southwest Georgia community, I will speak on my contribution
to the task force,” he said. “I will be providing data to support an effective co-responder
model to help strengthen mental health infrastructure in Moultrie. The data I will
provide to support the need of a co-responder model by highlighting the prevalence
of behavioral health crises in Moultrie, mental health patient prevalence and resource
availability, or the current lack thereof.”
In addition to his work with community organizations, he also provides learning opportunities
and resources to his fellow medical school students at PCOM South Georgia. These opportunities
come through guest speakers, peer support meetings and workshops. Some examples include
working with student organizations to host a speaker on addiction, setting up a drive
for the Serenity House, providing training for students to recognize child sex abuse
and trafficking and offering mental health first aid training.
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About PCOM South Georgia
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) extended its commitment to the
Southeast by establishing PCOM South Georgia, an additional teaching location in Moultrie, Georgia. PCOM South Georgia offers both
a full, four-year medical program leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
degree and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree. PCOM is a private, not-for-profit
institution which trains professionals in the health and behavioral sciences fields.
Joining PCOM Georgia in Suwanee in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state,
PCOM South Georgia focuses on educating physicians for the South Georgia region. The
medical campus, which welcomed its inaugural class of medical students in August 2019,
has received accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association's Commission
on Osteopathic College Accreditation. For more information, visit pcom.edu/southgeorgia or call 229-668-3110.
For more information, contact:
Jordan Roberts
Public Relations and Social Media Specialist
Email: jordanro1@pcom.edu
Office: 229-668-3198 | Cell: 229-873-2003
Connect with PCOM South Georgia