Officials to install opioid reversal kits in Georgia’s public schools
Georgia officials announced Friday the launch of a statewide initiative to provide kits to aid students who have an opioid overdose to every public school in the state.
These kits will contain Narcan, which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and restore breathing. The kits will also include personal protective equipment and information to request refills of the lifesaving medication.
The kits are being provided as part of a partnership between the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust.
Georgia, along with other states and municipalities, entered into a settlement with several entities that contributed to the opioid crisis. The state is expected to receive more than $1.1 billion over the next 16 years, officials said Friday. Funded by opioid settlement dollars administered by GOCAT, the Georgia Overdose Response Partnership is aimed at ensuring school staff are equipped to recognize and respond to opioid overdose emergencies.
“The opioid settlement funds give us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn tragedy into prevention,” DBHDD Commissioner Kevin Tanner said in a statement. “Putting overdose reversal kits in every Georgia school is a practical, compassionate use of those dollars. It means we are giving our educators and communities a fighting chance to stop a preventable death. This initiative is about saving lives before a family or school endures the heartbreak of losing a child.”
A Dunwoody High student died in May 2024 because of a fentanyl overdose. The student was found unresponsive in class, and attempts to revive her with the medication and a defibrillator were unsuccessful. Officials in several Georgia school districts have credited the use of Narcan for saving the lives of students who’ve overdosed.
Georgia’s education department 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.
“By taking this proactive step, we are helping safeguard the health and safety of every student, educator, and community member across our state,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
