Georgia

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Georgia Network To End Sexual Assault (GNESA)

619 Edgewood Ave. SE, Suite 104
Atlanta, GA 30312
(678) 701-2700
Website: www.gnesa.org
E-mail: gnesa@mindspring.com

GNESA is a nonprofit coalition of sexual assault agencies and concerned individuals that share the common goal of ending sexual assault. GNESA coordinates and supports public and professional education, advocacy, and service for sexual assault centers and service providers. Currently, GNESA membership includes 23 rape crisis centers and sexual assault centers throughout the state. These rape crisis and sexual assault centers provide all or some of the following services for all victims and their families: 24-hour crisis hotline, 24-hour medical accompaniment, legal advocacy, professional counseling for survivors, family, and friends, support groups, and referrals to counseling and other services when needed.

J. Randy Beggs, Ph.D.

103 North McDonough St.
P.O. Box 2549
Decatur, GA 30087
(404) 378-2102
E-mail: jrbeggs@mindspring.com

Dr. Beggs is in private practice with an emphasis in traumatology work and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as other trauma issues.  Dr. Beggs has worked with a large number of male and female survivors of sexual assault and sexual abuse. Currently, Dr. Beggs offers individual and couples therapy. Clients must be over age 18. Dr. Beggs does not accept direct assignment of insurance, but a certain number of slots are available on a sliding scale, with other arrangements available for self-pay clients.

Metropolitan Counseling Services (MCS)

1900 Century Place, NE, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30345-4302
(404) 321-1794
Website: www.atlantapsychotherapy.com

MCS is a non-profit corporation established to help adults, who cannot otherwise afford quality psychotherapy, lead better and more productive lives. MCS serves 19 counties and offers individual, couples and group psychotherapy services for adults ages 18 and older on a low-cost, sliding fee scale, based on a person's income.  MCS is also a teaching facility for experienced therapists working toward a license. The main area of focus at MCS is on trauma treatment, and most clients are survivors of rape, sexual assault, or childhood sexual abuse. Fees for psychotherapy sessions range from $25 to $85, with $30 per session being the average.  Clients are carefully screened, as MCS is unable to accept clients who have just been released from prison.

LEGAL SERVICES

Atlanta Bar Association: Lawyer Referral Service

229 Peachtree Street, N.E.400 International Tower
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 521-0777

The Atlanta Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service helps people find lawyers suited to their particular type of legal problems. Participating lawyers have indicated the area(s) of law in which they can help clients, and in which counties. The Lawyer Referral Service provides clients with the name, address, and phone number of an attorney who is located in a convenient geographic area, who will provide 30 minutes of legal consultation for $35. The client and attorney will be able to discuss the case, concerns, or legal issues. The client must negotiate a fee with the attorney for any legal services beyond the initial consultation.

Lambda Legal: Southern Regional Office

1447 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 1004
Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone: (404) 897-1880
Fax: (404) 897-1884
Website: www.lambdalegal.org
E-mail: legalhelpdesk@lambdalegal.org

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. Southern Regional Office provides services for those who are located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia.

Help Desk Hours (Eastern Standard Time)
Mondays -- 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Wednesdays -- 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Thursdays -- 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

If Help Desk staff are busy helping other callers, your call will be routed to the Legal Help Desk voicemail. Please leave the following information: name, state, contact info, best time to reach you, and a brief message outlining your legal inquiry. A Help Desk staff person will return your call.

It is usually most efficient for Help Desk callers to contact us by phone. If you are in a place where you are not able to make long distance calls, we can make an appointment to call you. If you are absolutely unable to call us, you may e-mail us at legalhelpdesk@lambdalegal.org or write to the addresses above.

Southern Center for Human Rights (SCHR)

83 Poplar Street, N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30303-2122
(404) 688-1202
Website: www.schr.org
E-mail: rights@schr.org

The SCHR represents those confined to prisons and jails in class action law suits challenging inhumane conditions of confinement, degrading or discriminatory treatment, denial of medical and mental health care, and other constitutional violations. Center attorneys will respond to complaints sent through the mail by prisoners throughout Georgia, including cases of physical and sexual assault, but prisoners should be aware that the SCHR does not generally litigate individual cases.