--- title: SR 589. Marriage and Family Therapy Day; recognize February 11, 2026 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr589 cite_as: SR 589, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr589 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr589.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr589/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72332 date: 2026-01-27 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr588.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr590.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr589.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 589 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-01-27 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Larry Walker - Kay Kirkpatrick - Bo Hatchett - Drew Echols - John Albers text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR589/2025 upstream_id: 2091375 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - marriage and family therapy - mental health - Georgia Senate resolution - professional licensing --- # SR 589. Marriage and Family Therapy Day; recognize February 11, 2026 ## Text Senate Resolution 589 By: Senators Walker III of the 20th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Hatchett of the 50th, Echols of the 49th and Albers of the 56th A RESOLUTION Commending the marriage and family therapists of Georgia and recognizing February 11, 2026, as Marriage and Family Therapy Day at the Capitol; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, strong families and healthy relationships are foundational to the civic, economic, and social vitality of Georgia, fostering responsibility, resilience, and respect for others while embodying the shared values of perseverance, integrity, and neighborly care that define Georgia's proud heritage and continue to guide its progress; and WHEREAS, marriage and family therapy is one of the five essential mental health professions licensed in Georgia, requiring graduate education, multiple years of supervised clinical training, and adherence to rigorous professional and ethical standards enforced by the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists; and WHEREAS, licensed marriage and family therapists apply systems-focused clinical training in mental health care and psychotherapy to deliver effective, evidence-based evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, behavioral, addiction, and relationship challenges across the lifespan for Georgia's families, children, individuals, couples, and communities; and WHEREAS, marriage and family therapists serve Georgia's diverse regions—including rural and underserved communities—by helping families overcome barriers to access, reducing strain on other systems, and promoting resilience across generations; and WHEREAS, these practitioners collaborate with schools, courts, other healthcare providers, community organizations, and public agencies to strengthen individuals and families and contribute to safer, healthier, and more stable communities throughout Georgia; and WHEREAS, the gathering of marriage and family therapists at the state capitol underscores their commitment to public policy engagement and their dedication to improving the quality of and access to mental health care for all Georgians; and WHEREAS, it is fitting to commend the marriage and family therapists of Georgia for their professionalism, compassion, and lasting contributions to the well-being of this state. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body commend the licensed marriage and family therapists of Georgia for their vital contributions to the mental, relational, and community health of this state and recognize February 11, 2026, as Marriage and Family Therapy Day at the Capitol. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution recognizes February 11, 2026 as Marriage and Family Therapy Day at the Capitol, commending the state's licensed marriage and family therapists for their work. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate rather than a law that changes any rights or requirements. It commends licensed marriage and family therapists in Georgia for their training, ethical standards, and contributions to mental health care, and it designates February 11, 2026 as Marriage and Family Therapy Day at the Capitol. The resolution describes marriage and family therapy as one of five licensed mental health professions in Georgia, overseen by the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. It does not create new rules, funding, or penalties. ### What it does - Recognizes February 11, 2026 as Marriage and Family Therapy Day at the Capitol in Georgia. - Formally commends licensed marriage and family therapists in Georgia for their clinical training and community contributions. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. - Creates no new legal requirements, funding, or penalties, since it is a commendatory resolution rather than a law. ### Who it affects Licensed marriage and family therapists in Georgia and the professional association that represents them, the Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, are the direct subjects of this commendation. The resolution has no regulatory effect on other groups. ### Why it matters The resolution does not change any law, licensing rule, or funding for mental health services in Georgia. Its practical effect is symbolic: it gives marriage and family therapists formal recognition from the Senate and a designated day to gather at the Capitol. ### Key provisions - The resolving clause commends licensed marriage and family therapists for their contributions to mental, relational, and community health in Georgia. - The resolving clause designates February 11, 2026 as Marriage and Family Therapy Day at the Capitol. - A further resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-01-27) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-01-27) - Sponsors: Larry Walker, Kay Kirkpatrick, Bo Hatchett, Drew Echols, John Albers - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72332 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr589.md?full=1