The Rockdale County Probate Court and Rockdale County Probate Judge Charles K. Mays, Sr. is hosting a Community Mental Health Summit Dec. 13, 9 a.m. at Rockdale Career Academy, to help address many questions about mental illness and how to find the resources needed to help those living with the illness.

This event features a panel of professionals to assist those who are caretakers of individuals living with mental illness. Those attending will receive information through panel discussions, question and answer sessions and breakout sessions covering topics such as medical care and treatment, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, lay affidavits, legal awareness, diagnosis, support for families, housing, personal care homes and more.

Judge Mays expressed he felt the summit was needed in Rockdale County. "My office deals with many people and situations pertaining to individuals with mental illness, especially since all lay affidavits come through the Probate Court. The problem is that, in many cases, we have had to repeatedly issue these lay affidavits over and over on behalf of the same family for the same individual who is mentally ill." He continued, "Mentally ill individuals require help to get well, but so often have very few options to get that help. Also, the caretakers of these individuals are often stuck, asking the question,‘what do we do?' We need to find help and resources these citizens of Rockdale County."

The Community Mental Health Summit takes place Saturday, Dec. 13, 9 a.m., at the Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper Drive. The event is free and open to the public.

For questions or more information, contact the Probate Office at 770-278-7700 and ask for Deborah Anderson.