Senator Ossoff delivers $7 million to combat opioid crisis

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff is delivering $7 million in to help the opioid addiction crisis in Georgia.

The money will go to the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to prevent and treat opioid addiction across Georgia.

Most families in Georgia have been touched by this crisis. That’s why the senator says he’s distributing the resources to cities and counties across the state to strengthen programs aimed at prevention and recovery support.

“It requires law enforcement encountering a narcotics approach, and also a public health treatment and prevention approach. These new resources are going to help local organizations and local governments across Georgia to respond to this crisis,” Ossoff said.

Dougherty County EMS has seen over 110 patients regarding opioid overdoses this year. That’s over 150 less than last year. However, the director says prevention and treatment resources are still needed.

“If you take a street drug, you don’t know what’s blended in it,” Sam Allen, Dougherty County EMS Director, said. “There’s a lot of dangers. The more we can educate people and get people into rehab and treatment to get them off of this terrible mess— is the best thing that can happen.”

Earlier this month, the Senator delivered new funding through the DOJ’s Office to help the GBI investigate fentanyl and opioid-related crimes. The senator feels it’s equally important to provide resources for prevention and recovery just as much as it is to crack down on the drug trafficking networks that are bringing the substances into the state.

“These resources are vital, and that’s why I’m working so hard to deliver them. That’s why I worked so hard to pass the Rural Opioid Prevention Act last year. We are seeing a significant increase in overdose associated with fentanyl, and other opioids,” Ossoff said.

Funding will also be used to conduct a statewide action plan and evaluation led by the Georgia Statistical Analysis Center.

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