ATLANTA — State health and education officials say they have started the process of distributing opioid overdose reversal kits to public schools in Georgia following a law passed by the general assembly.
“We have had overdoses in schools in Georgia,” Commissioner Kevin Tanner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) told WSB. “We’re going to make sure that all of those schools have a box that’s clearly designated for the school nurse’s office or the school principal’s office that has two doses of Narcan along with some other supplies.”
With more than 2,300 public schools in Georgia, officials will distribute the medication in two phases to avoid depleting their inventory at once. By spring 2026, schools in every part of the state will be equipped with the life-saving opioid antagonist.
“By taking this proactive step, we are helping safeguard the health and safety of every student, educator and community member across our state,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said in a news release.
Funding for the initiative is coming from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust, which provides grants to programs addressing the impact of opioid abuse across the state. As part of this program, the Georgia Department of Education and DBHDD Community Service Boards will share training resources to make sure school staff are ready to respond effectively to an overdose emergency.
Sign Up
