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Addiction Alliance of Georgia receives 2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award from MAP International
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AAG honored with the prestigious 2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award

Addiction Alliance of Georgia supporter Tom Johnson (LEFT) accepts the 2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award at a recent awards ceremony.

The Addiction Alliance of Georgia (AAG) has been honored with the prestigious 2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award by MAP International. This annual award recognizes individuals and organizations that have made substantial contributions to advancing global health, aligning with the legacy of Bill Foege, MD, MPH, a renowned figure in the global health community, often hailed as the key figure behind the eradication of smallpox. 

In addition to the Addiction Alliance of Georgia, other notable recipients of the 2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award include Freeman A. Hrabowski III, Louis W. Sullivan and Richard Hubert. The Metro Atlanta Chamber also presented its Heroes of Global Health Award to Debra Houry, chief medical officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We are honored to celebrate the outstanding work of this year’s honorees. Dr. Hrabowski, Dr. Sullivan, Richard Hubert and the Addiction Alliance of Georgia are true examples of great leadership in global and mental health,” said Steve Stirling, president & CEO of MAP International. “Each honoree has dedicated themselves to improving the health and well-being of people in their communities and around the world and for that, we are genuinely inspired and grateful.” 

The Addiction Alliance of Georgia is a groundbreaking partnership between two national health care leaders, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and Emory Healthcare. This collaboration marks the first time addiction treatment programs of such renown have joined forces with an academic medical center. The result is a pioneering approach to addiction care, uniting evidence-based treatment and recovery strategies with world-class research and education initiatives. Together, they are dedicated to reducing addiction rates, enhancing recovery outcomes, and ultimately saving more lives.

“We are deeply humbled to receive the 2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award from MAP International. This recognition serves as a testament to our unwavering commitment to advancing addiction care and recovery on a global scale,” said Justine Welsh, Emory Healthcare addiction psychiatrist and medical director of the Addiction Alliance of Georgia’s Emory Addiction Center.  “We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported our mission, and we remain steadfast in our dedication to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by addiction.”

“This esteemed recognition highlights the significant impact of the Addiction Alliance of Georgia’s dedication and innovation in addressing the global health crisis of addiction. We look forward to continuing our transformative work in addiction care, making a positive impact on global health and wellbeing,” said Heather Jones, PhD, Hazelden Betty Ford’s vice president of mental health, family and children’s programs.

Click here for more information about the Addiction Alliance of Georgia.




About the Addiction Alliance of Georgia

Utilizing the experience and strengths of two national health care leaders, Emory Healthcare and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the Addiction Alliance of Georgia is a comprehensive partnership dedicated to reducing substance-use-disorder rates; improving recovery rates; and bringing hope, healing and health to more people and families throughout Georgia and beyond. Formally founded in 2020, the Alliance integrates addiction treatment and co-occurring mental health care, education, prevention, outreach and research—collaborating with government agencies, concerned donors and partners throughout the larger community.


About Bill Foege, MD, MPH

Foege is a physician and epidemiologist well known for his global health contributions that led to the eradication of smallpox in the late 1970s. He is a former leader of the CDC and the founder of the Task Force for Global Health, the second largest health-related charity in the world. Foege has received numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award for Humanitarian Contributions to the Health of Humankind. He is a Presidential Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Health at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.


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