---
title: O.C.G.A. § 49-5-154. Study of youth needs.
collection: code
id: 49-5-154
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 49-5-154 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-5-154
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-5-154.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-5-154/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t49-t50-ch1-12-(v38)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=60c992b5_0#page=344
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.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: SOCIAL SERVICES / PROGRAMS AND PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH / PROGRAMS AND PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN / DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 49-5-154. Study of youth needs.

The governing authority of each participating county shall establish a local advisory group which includes representation from each component of the local children’s services systems and other interested parties. The advisory group shall appraise the council on the needs of children and youth in its community giving particular attention to the need for prevention programs and community based services, residential or nonresidential, which would provide an alternative to commitment to or placement or custody in the Department of Juvenile Justice or the Department of Human Services and placement in any juvenile detention facility as defined in Code Section 49-4A-1. Such appraisal shall be made annually and in writing. The governing authority of the county may request technical assistance from the council in conducting such study.

## History

Code 1981, § 49-5-154, enacted by Ga. L. 1987, p. 1576, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1871, § 3; Ga. L. 1991, p. 435, § 12; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1983, § 33; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1453, § 1; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 2-2/HB 228; Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 4-60/HB 242.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 5-1/HB 242, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2014, and shall apply to all offenses which occur and juvenile proceedings commenced on and after such date. Any offense occurring before January 1, 2014, shall be governed by the statute in effect at the time of such offense and shall be considered a prior adjudication for the purpose of imposing a disposition that provides for a different penalty for subsequent adjudications, of whatever class, pursuant to this Act. The enactment of this Act shall not affect any prosecutions for acts occurring before January 1, 2014, and shall not act as an abatement of any such prosecutions.”