Published: 01/2/2026 | Author: Terri

A new statewide initiative is providing Georgia public schools with naloxone (Narcan), the opioid overdose reversal medication. The kits will go out to over 2,300 schools across the state as Georgia continues to respond to the ongoing opioid epidemic and rising overdose risks tied to fentanyl exposure.

Georgia’s Continuing Opioid Crisis

The recent initiative is set to make these Narcan kits available in schools across the Peach State by the end of the academic school year. The Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities have teamed up in collaboration with funds from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust. 

Bibb County, the county seat of Macon, has experienced a steady but significant increase in opioid overdose deaths from 2019 to 2023. According to information released from the Georgia Department of Public Health data, the county went from 11 overdose deaths in 2019 to 41 overdose deaths in 2023. 

Narcan in Georgia Schools

Naloxone can be a life-saving medication that reverses the effects of opioids and restores breathing during an overdose.

With Bibb County noting approximately 215 emergency room visits per 100,000 people due to drug overdose events, the district has made naloxone available in all schools. As synthetic opioids like fentanyl continue to drive overdose deaths, having Narcan available in public schools is a critical harm reduction measure.

Kevin Tanner, commissioner of the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, agreed that opioid overdose deaths are an alarming issue, with a 302% increase in these types of deaths between 2010 and 2022. 

He underscores that stark reality that the county school system has experienced both school employee and student deaths related to drug overdose. Some of these cases may involve students taking medication they believe to be over-the-counter headache remedies which are in fact laced with fentanyl. 

To help ensure the efficacy of these kits, school nurses and other staff members are trained in administering the medication. They also include prevention and recovery resources for youth who may be at risk of opioid exposure. 

The state of Georgia is being proactive to protect students, educators, families and communities in the face of the ongoing opioid epidemic. If you or a young person you love is experiencing opioid dependency, there is hope.

If you or a young person you love is struggling with opioid use, help is available. You can find a peer recovery support group, including Narcotics Anonymous meetings near you.

For help finding a treatment program that fits your needs, call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) today.