---
title: O.C.G.A. § 37-7-149. Establishment of patients and staff complaint procedures; making of final decisions; complaint procedures as alternative to legal remedies.
collection: code
id: 37-7-149
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 37-7-149 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-7-149
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-7-149.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-7-149/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t37-t39-(v28)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=c6b9c518_0#page=332
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/37-7.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-7-148.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-7-150.md
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: MENTAL HEALTH / HOSPITALIZATION AND TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLICS, DRUG DEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS, AND DRUG ABUSERS / RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF PATIENTS, THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, AND OTHERS GENERALLY / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 37-7-149. Establishment of patients and staff complaint procedures; making of final decisions; complaint procedures as alternative to legal remedies.

Each facility shall establish procedures whereby complaints of the patient or complaints of the staff concerning treatment of the patient can be speedily heard, with final decisions to be made by the superintendent, the regional state hospital administrator, or an advisory committee, whichever is appropriate. The board shall establish reasonable rules and regulations for the implementation of such procedures. However, the patient shall not be required to utilize these procedures in lieu of other available legal remedies.

## History

Code 1933, § 88-402.22, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 1856, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 1324, § 1-16.

## Cross References

Reports and investigations regarding mistreatment of hospital patients, residents of long-term care facilities, and other institutions, §§ 31-7-9, 31-8-50 et seq., 31-8-80 et seq., 31-8-100 et seq.