---
title: O.C.G.A. § 26-5-41. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 26-5-41
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 26-5-41 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-41
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-41.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-41/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t25-t26-(v21)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=82f520c4_0#page=91
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/26-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-40.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-42.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: Effective January 1, 2026.
in_force: true
other_versions:
  - version: Effective until January 1, 2026.
    in_force: false
    md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-41.md?version=until+January+1%2C+2026
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: FOOD, DRUGS, AND COSMETICS / DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS / NARCOTIC TREATMENT PROGRAMS ENFORCEMENT
extraction_warnings:
  - dehyphenation_unverified:rehabili-tative
  - bound_version_dropped:None
---

# O.C.G.A. § 26-5-41. Definitions.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) “Department” means the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

(2) “Governing body” means the community service board, the partnership, the corporation, the association, or the person or group of persons who maintains and controls a narcotic treatment program, who is legally responsible for its operation, and who holds the license or provisional license to operate that program.

(3) “License” means the official permit issued by the department that authorizes the holder to operate a narcotic treatment program for the term provided therein.

(4) “Licensee” means any person holding a license or provisional license issued by the department under this article.

(5) “Narcotic treatment program” means any system of treatment provided for chronic heroin or opiate-like drug-dependent individuals that administers narcotic drugs under physicians’ orders either for detoxification purposes or for maintenance treatment in a rehabilitative context offered by any community service board, partnership, corporation, association, or person or groups of persons engaged in such administration.

(6) “Patient” means any individual who undergoes treatment in a narcotic treatment program.

## History

Code 1981, § 26-5-41, enacted by Ga. L. 2017, p. 307, § 1/SB 88; Ga. L. 2018, p. 1112, § 26/SB 365; Ga. L. 2025, p. 177, § 1-6/HB 584, effective January 1, 2026.

## Amendments

The 2025 amendment, effective January 1, 2026, substituted “Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities” for “Department of Community Health or its successor” in paragraph (1); in paragraph (2), substituted “community service board” for “county board of health” and inserted “or provisional license” near the end; inserted “or provisional license” in paragraph (4); and substituted “community service board” for “county board of health” in paragraph (5).

## Delayed Effective Date

Code Section 26-5-41 is set out twice in this Code. This version is effective January 1, 2026. For version effective until January 1, 2026, see the preceding version.