Augusta University in Georgia Wins $2.5M Overdose Prevention Grant

Published: 10/21/2026 | Author: Quentin Blount

Get Help Now 800-934-1582 Sponsored

Georgia’s overdose prevention effort got a shot in the arm. Researchers at Augusta University’s School of Public Health received a three-year, $2.5 million grant from the SAMHSA to improve overdose prevention in communities across the state.

Funds arrive as opioid overdose deaths remain a leading cause of preventable death and where rural counties have the fewest treatment options. Even though the state has many programs and even local Narcotics Anonymous chapters dedicated to fighting addictions, too many have died. Indeed, the university’s Institute of Public and Preventive Health focuses on high-risk areas that are historically underserved.

Dr. Aaron Johnson is associate dean for research and community engagement at the School of Public Health, laid out the reach of the project. In Augusta, Serenity Behavioral Health serves as a partner. The team identified three other high-risk regions covering six counties in northwest Georgia, six counties in south central and four counties in the southeast.

That layout covers the state. After all, overdose prevention works best when local trusted organizations deliver services.

Rural Counties Need Help

The grant announcement took place during the state-sponsored Georgia Recovers in Communities bus tour. The tour stops in 60 communities to highlight effective recovery work and connect the organizations doing it.

Medications can save the most lives. Naloxone distribution, prescriptions and telehealth treatment all play roles when there’s no formal care. The grant positions local providers to deliver those services instead of waiting for people in crisis to find their way to Augusta or Atlanta.

Recovery Is Possible & the Community Makes It So

“Today was really about spreading the message that addiction is a disease, recovery is possible and there is support available,” noted Katherine Covington. She’s the School of Public Health research operations manager who organized the Augusta stop.

Brian Kite agreed. He’s the recovery community organization program manager for the Georgia Council for Recovery. Kite relayed he was incarcerated more than 12 times and had been through treatment multiple times before the right combination of support changed his trajectory. He’s now approaching 12 years in recovery and is a full-time father to his 12-year-old son.

Kite credited a network from all corners. “The faith community, treatment providers, law enforcement, and the Department of Community Supervision all gave me opportunities to seek the support that I needed.” His message was simple, drawn from his grandfather’s visit to him in jail. “I don’t know what to do, but I love you.” Letting people know they’re loved and not alone is where recovery starts.

Help in The Peach State & Beyond

This grant is a reason for Georgians to reach out now rather than wait. Peer support deserves special attention. People who have lived through addiction themselves, like Kite, consistently show up in recovery stories as the difference between another relapse and a turning point.

That’s where Narcotics Anonymous comes in. Each chapter is locally based and comes at no cost to members. However, the camaraderie lasts their entire lives.

Getting started is as simple as browsing our directory for a group in any neighborhood in the USA. You can also dial 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to speak with an expert.