---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-477. Orders for behavioral health evaluations.
collection: code
id: 15-11-477
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-477 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-477
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-477.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-477/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t15-ch1-11a-(v13)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=d8a8826c_0#page=1183
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-476.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: COURTS / JUVENILE CODE / DELINQUENCY / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-477. Orders for behavioral health evaluations.

(a) At any time prior to the issuance of a final dispositional order, the court may order a behavioral health evaluation of a child alleged to be or adjudicated as a delinquent child which may be conducted by DBHDD or a private psychologist or psychiatrist.

(b) The court shall order and give consideration to the results of a child’s behavioral health evaluation before ordering a child adjudicated for a class A designated felony act or class B designated felony act placed in restrictive custody; provided, however, that such order shall not be required if the court has considered the results of a prior behavioral health evaluation of such child that had been completed in the preceding six months.

(c) Statements made by a child during a behavioral health evaluation shall only be admissible into evidence as provided in Code Section 15-11-479.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-477, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 1-1/HB 242.