Fulton County, Georgia – More than $100 million is flowing into health and human services across Fulton County in 2026, but the spending is not centered on a single hospital or program. The county is spreading those dollars across emergency care, mental health, public health and services for older residents.
Behind that push is a problem Fulton County documented three years ago. Its 2023 Project Care study confirmed persistent health disparities and identified a healthcare desert inside the county, putting access to medical care at the center of a much broader investment strategy.
One of the biggest responses has come through Fulton County’s partnership with Grady Health System, a relationship stretching back more than a century. The county expanded that partnership by supporting two primary care clinics and investing $19 million in a new standalone emergency room in South Fulton, located within the area identified as a healthcare desert.
The investment does not stop with emergency care. Fulton County has committed another $300 million toward construction of the Grady – South Hospital at the same site, creating a much larger long-term healthcare presence in South Fulton.
At the same time, the county continues supporting Grady’s existing hospital operations. Fulton County plans to invest $52 million this year in Grady Hospital, one of the country’s best-known teaching hospitals and home to the metro region’s only Level I Trauma Center.
Healthcare access is also expanding outside the hospital system. Fulton County has invested $25 million in a new Health & Human Services campus in Alpharetta. A similar facility is planned for South Fulton, extending the county’s effort to bring multiple services closer to residents.
Other parts of the 2026 budget reach well beyond traditional medical care. Fulton County is investing more than $20 million in mental health resources, more than $10 million to supplement state public health resources and more than $30 million for services and care supporting seniors.
Taken together, the projects show how the county is approaching health and human services on several fronts at once, from trauma and emergency treatment to mental health, aging services and neighborhood-level access.
Residents seeking information about available programs and services can visit www.fultoncountyga.gov.
