On Monday, August 18 at 12:30 p.m., the Rotary Club of Macon will host a joint meeting with the Rotary Clubs of Downtown Macon, North Macon, and Jones County at First Presbyterian Church. The featured speaker will be Commissioner Kevin Tanner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD).

Commissioner Tanner brings over 30 years of public service experience and a deep understanding of Georgia’s behavioral health system. Since his appointment, he has led DBHDD through transformative initiatives aimed at improving access to care and strengthening the state’s behavioral health infrastructure.

With an annual operating budget of $1.6 billion and a workforce of over 4,500 employees, Commissioner Tanner has overseen historic investments in the agency’s workforce. His leadership has resulted in reopening previously offline crisis beds and enabling state hospitals to operate at nearly full capacity. He has also championed increased provider rates for intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) services and behavioral health professionals.

In addition to his role at DBHDD, Commissioner Tanner serves as a Trustee of the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust and has been instrumental in the development of new crisis response facilities across the state.

The Macon Rotary Club is honored to welcome Commissioner Tanner and looks forward to his insights on behavioral health issues affecting Georgians.