David Blanchard becomes DBHDD Deputy Assistant Commissioner | News

ATLANTA -- Atlanta's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities named David Blanchard the new Deputy Assistant Commissioner on Wednesday.

Blanchard joined the DBHDD from All About Developmental Disabilities, also in Atlanta, as their Executive Director. He has worked there since 1999, and took on ED responsibilities in 2009, according to Atlanta's Department of Human Relations.

Human Relations said the DBHDD is behind the policies and programs that serve people with mental illness, developmental disabilities and substance use disorders. They said DBHDD is underway with a five-year project to expand community services for people with developmental disabilities, so they avoid living in state hospitals and other institutions.

Blanchard is a member of the Boards of Georgia Budget and Policy Institute and the Georgia Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, according to Human Relations. They said Blanchard also holds an MS in Family Studies from Auburn, and a Psychology AB from the University of Georgia.