37-2-71. Fee schedule for licensure.

The department shall establish by rule adopted pursuant to Chapter 13 of Title 50, the “Georgia Administrative Procedure Act,” a schedule of fees for licensure activities for adult residential mental health programs, community living arrangements, drug treatment and education programs, and narcotic treatment programs required to be licensed by the department. Such schedules shall be determined in a manner so as to help defray the costs incurred by the department, but in no event to exceed such costs, both direct and indirect, in providing such licensure activities. Such fees may be annually adjusted by the department but shall not be increased by more than the annual rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. All fees paid thereunder shall be paid into the general fund of the State of Georgia. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the proceeds from all fees imposed pursuant to this Code section be used to support and improve the quality of licensing services provided by the department.