HB 1296: Mental health; pilot program to support clinical research of certain veterans and first responders suffering from certain conditions; provide

Georgia currently has no dedicated state program funding experimental or breakthrough mental health treatments for veterans and retired first responders. This bill would add a new section to Georgia's mental health code creating the Breakthrough Treatments for Georgia Heroes Suicide Prevention Pilot Program, run by the state's mental health department starting January 1, 2027. The program would support clinical research and provide access to 'eligible breakthrough treatments,' a category that includes FDA breakthrough-designated devices and drugs, ibogaine-based therapies, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and similar treatments, for veterans and retired first responders suffering from PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, major depressive disorder, traumatic brain injury, or related conditions. Funds could pay for treatment sites, clinical trials, subsidized treatment costs, infrastructure, and workforce training. The department would partner with accredited Georgia colleges and universities, report annually to legislative leaders, and the program would automatically end and be repealed on January 1, 2030. The whole law only takes effect if the General Assembly specifically appropriates funding for it.

• Creates a new pilot program in Georgia's mental health code to fund clinical research on breakthrough treatments for veterans and retired first responders with PTSD and related conditions.
• Defines 'eligible breakthrough treatment' to include FDA breakthrough-designated drugs and devices, ibogaine-based therapies, and transcranial magnetic stimulation.
• Allows program funds to subsidize treatment costs, build clinical infrastructure in underserved areas, train healthcare workers, and run comparative and cost-effectiveness studies.
• Authorizes the department to partner with accredited Georgia colleges and universities to carry out the program.
• Requires an annual report to the Governor, legislative leaders, and relevant House and Senate committees on the program's implementation and effectiveness.
• Sets the program to automatically end and the law to be repealed on January 1, 2030, and makes the whole act effective only if the legislature appropriates funding for it.

Veterans and retired first responders (such as police officers and firefighters) suffering from PTSD, depression, or traumatic brain injury; Georgia's mental health department, which would run the program; and accredited Georgia colleges and universities that could partner on research.

If funded, eligible veterans and retired first responders could gain access to experimental treatments like ibogaine therapy or transcranial magnetic stimulation that are not otherwise widely available or covered, potentially affecting suicide prevention efforts among these groups. The program's existence depends entirely on the legislature deciding to fund it.

• New Code Section 37-1-8(a) defines 'eligible breakthrough treatment,' 'first responder,' 'veteran,' and the program name.
• Subsection (b) directs the department to run a three-year pilot beginning January 1, 2027, subject to appropriations, for veterans and retired first responders with PTSD and related conditions.
• Subsection (c) lists allowed uses of program funds, including clinical trials, treatment subsidies, infrastructure investment, and workforce training.
• Subsection (d) authorizes partnerships with accredited public and private Georgia colleges and universities.
• Subsection (f) requires an annual report by December 31 to the Governor, legislative leaders, and relevant health and veterans affairs committees.
• Subsection (h) terminates the program and repeals the Code section by operation of law on January 1, 2030.
• Section 2 makes the entire act effective only if the General Assembly specifically appropriates funds for it.

1. 2026-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
2. 2026-03-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2026-03-04House Third Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-02-25House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-02-18House Withdrawn, Recommitted (Cámara de Representantes)
6. 2026-02-18House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2026-02-17House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
8. 2026-02-12House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Martin Momtahan (R, HD-017)Patrocinador principal
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)
• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)
• Brian Prince (D, HD-132)
• Derrick McCollum (R, HD-030)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes4 de marzo de 2026

   169 a favor, 0 en contra (5 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #629

• veterans mental health
• first responders
• PTSD treatment
• suicide prevention
• mental health research funding