No Place to Go: Georgia Lawmakers Launch Investigation Into Abandoned Kids After Hospital Discharge

State Representative Katie Dempsey has been tapped to lead a newly formed House Study Committee that will examine the growing challenge of placing abandoned or unaccompanied children following discharge from hospitals in Georgia. The appointment was made by House Speaker Jon Burns, who named Dempsey chair of the House Study Committee on Abandoned Child Placement Following Hospital Discharge.

Dempsey, a longtime lawmaker from Rome, currently chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources and has been a consistent advocate for children and mental health reform during her time in the legislature. She said the study committee aims to address a deeply troubling reality: vulnerable children, particularly those with serious mental health needs, too often face limbo after they are stabilized in hospitals but have no safe place to go next.

“Far too often, children with serious mental health needs face uncertainty once they are stabilized and could leave hospital care, but our systems aren’t always equipped to respond quickly or effectively with appropriate placement,” said Dempsey. “Every child deserves a safe place to land — and I’m committed to helping make that a reality.”

The new committee was created through House Resolution 611 and is tasked with identifying the gaps in Georgia’s public and private care systems. The goal is to conduct a thorough analysis of how community services, including those from nonprofit and government entities, respond to the needs of children being discharged from psychiatric hospitals and emergency departments — especially when no parent or guardian is present to take them home.

Stakeholders across the state have raised concerns in recent years about the number of children who remain in hospital settings well beyond medical necessity due to a lack of placement options or coordination between agencies. In some cases, these minors are placed in hotels, emergency shelters, or even detention centers as a last resort — solutions that fall far short of meeting their therapeutic and emotional needs.

The House Study Committee will look closely at how to improve cross-agency collaboration, speed up placement timelines, and expand community-based resources so that hospitals are not left bearing the responsibility for housing children who no longer need acute care.

Speaker Burns appointed four additional members to serve alongside Dempsey: Rep. Sharon Cooper of Marietta, Rep. Lee Hawkins of Gainesville, Rep. Omari Crawford of Decatur, and Rep. Mike Cameron of Rossville. The group represents a mix of health policy, legal, and child welfare expertise, with bipartisan membership aimed at ensuring broad input and cooperation.

The committee is expected to hold hearings throughout the summer and fall, meeting with families, hospitals, caseworkers, child welfare agencies, and other stakeholders. Recommendations will be submitted to the House of Representatives for review ahead of the next legislative session.

Rep. Dempsey, who has served in the House since 2006, has long focused her legislative efforts on improving outcomes for children and families. In addition to her role on the Human Resources appropriations panel, she serves on committees for Public Health, Healthcare, Higher Education, Energy, Rules, Economic Development, and Transportation.

The study committee’s work marks a significant step toward addressing what Dempsey calls “an urgent moral responsibility” — ensuring no child in Georgia falls through the cracks at a critical moment in their care.

“The system shouldn’t leave our most vulnerable kids stranded,” Dempsey said. “This committee is about finding solutions that reflect our values and our commitment to doing better.”

The committee’s findings could pave the way for major reforms in Georgia’s child welfare system, particularly when it comes to improving emergency response, mental health support, and long-term placement for youth who need it most.