The Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act Will Save Lives In Communities Across Georgia
The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse Thanks Senator Jon Ossoff On His Leadership for the Georgia Recovery Community
9 December, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tucker, GA:
The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse congratulates and thanks U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Senate passage of their bipartisan legislation to help rural communities combat opioid overdoses and fund community-based treatment programs.
The Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act will help ensure rural communities experiencing a high level of opioid overdoses have the resources they need to respond to the crisis. The program aims to reduce opioid overdose deaths in high-risk rural communities while raising awareness about local opioid use and substance use disorder. The Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act will help communities in Georgia prevent and handle surges in opioid overdoses.
The Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act will:
- Identify current gaps in prevention, treatment, and recovery services for individuals who interact with the criminal justice system in rural areas
- Increase or create new efforts to address the opioid crisis in that community
- Dedicate funding to local governments and organizations with a documented history of providing services to rural communities or regions highly impacted by substance use disorder.
“The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse (GCSA) is proud to support the Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act introduced by Senator Ossoff (D-GA) and Senator Grassley (R-IA). This legislation will help rural communities across Georgia receive grant funding to reduce opioid deaths. Georgia has built strong and active communities of recovery across our rural landscape and this legislation will build upon their great work. Places like Albany, Warner Robins, Dalton and many others have proven recovery leadership who will benefit from this legislation and will provide taillights for other rural communities to follow. Communities who have often been forgotten will now have opportunities to build treatment and recovery supports that work for them. Jails and prisons have too often been the number one option for people with substance use disorders in rural communities and this legislation will provide services and supports so there are other, more effective opportunities for individuals and families to get and stay well.” said Neil Campbell, GCSA Executive Director.
“The opioid epidemic in rural America is unprecedented in our history. This commonsense legislation ensures communities in rural Georgia – many of which have been devastated by the opioid epidemic during COVID-19 – have the resources they need to combat the opioid crisis. The bipartisan Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act accomplishes this by ensuring those suffering from addiction have access to the resources they need to begin the recovery and healing process,” said Jeff Breedlove, Chief of Policy and Communications for GCSA.
#GARecovers
For Additional Information:
Jeff Breedlove
Chief of Policy and Communications
Georgia Council on Substance Abuse
404-615-5735
