ATLANTA — Georgia has started an effort to make opioid reversal kits available in all schools in the state.
The program to combat the opioid crisis and save lives was announced by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and the Georgia Department of Education. It is funded by opioid settlement dollars administered by the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust.
“The opioid settlement funds give us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn tragedy into prevention,” said Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Kevin Tanner.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to protecting Georgia’s students and ensuring every school is prepared to respond in an emergency,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods.
The Georgia Overdose Response Partnership is a proactive effort to ensure school staff are equipped to recognize and respond to opioid overdose emergencies. It supports Senate Bill 395, also known as Wesley’s Law, which empowers schools to obtain and administer opioid antagonists and provides immunity to staff acting in good faith.
Distribution of the overdose reversal kits began this fall and started with the first phase serving nine Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs). It covers more than half of Georgia’s public schools in metro Atlanta, southwest Georgia and central Georgia.
The final phase in spring 2026 will complete statewide coverage, reaching all 16 RESAs.
More than 2,300 public schools will receive overdose reversal kits.
Georgia Regional Service Agencies will host “stuff-the-box” style events, where school and community leaders are encouraged to participate in assembling the kits.
Each kit will contain naloxone (Narcan), which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and restore breathing, personal protective equipment and information to request refills of the lifesaving medication.
DBHDD and GOCAT will ship overdose reversal kits and PPE using opioid settlement funds, and DBHDD is partnering with the Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition to distribute Narcan as directed by the Teva Pharmaceutical settlement dollars.
GaDOE and DBHDD’s Community Service Boards will share training resources and best practices to ensure school staff are prepared to respond effectively to an overdose emergency.
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