Addiction Alliance of Georgia ramps up opioid crisis response with $5.7 million in settlement funds

June 12, 2025

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Jennifer Johnson McEwen

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The Addiction Alliance of Georgia (AAG), a collaboration between Emory Healthcare and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, is expanding its efforts to combat the opioid epidemic with three grants totaling $5.7 million from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust.

In 2022, Georgia secured funding through a $26 billion multistate court settlement with major pharmaceutical companies implicated in the opioid crisis, resulting in approximately $638 million designated for the state. These funds, administered by a state trust over the next 18 years, will support strategic initiatives to combat opioid misuse statewide.

As part of this effort, AAG will uses its dedicated funds to expand vital outpatient clinical services for uninsured and underinsured families and adolescents, advancing its broader mission to integrate addiction treatment with mental health care, education, prevention, outreach and research in partnership with state health agencies, donors and community organizations.

Through a competitive grant application process, organizations applied for funds to expand treatment options and services to those facing substance use disorders. AAG will receive support in the following areas:

Clinical Services for Families and Adolescents: Approximately $3 million is allocated to enhance outpatient and intensive outpatient programs (IOP), aimed at increasing service availability for adolescents aged 12 and older, facilitating over 4,000 additional patient encounters annually.
Family Support Services: $1.4 million will be used to extend comprehensive family support services, including case management, workshops and coaching sessions to rebuild trust and foster recovery, benefiting nearly 1,000 families over two years.
Addiction Immersion Training & Education Program: $1.3 million is directed toward increasing the proficiency and availability of health care professionals specializing in addiction treatment and mental health through immersive experiences and graduate-level courses.

"This generous funding is crucial as it allows us to expand our outpatient clinical services for uninsured and underinsured families and adolescents across the state, ensuring more people have access to the care they need. It represents a monumental step toward enhancing our capacity to address the complexities of addiction with empathy, expertise and effective treatment pathways," said AAG Medical Director Justine Welsh, MD, also director of addiction services for Emory Healthcare and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine.

"We are incredibly grateful for this support which enables us to expand our renowned family and children’s program and open doors to educate more professionals and uplift communities in Georgia affected by addiction and mental health," said Joseph Lee, MD, President and CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. "By creating a robust framework for recovery and resilience, we are significantly contributing to Georgia's steadfast commitment to combating the opioid crisis.”

Established in 2020, AAG focuses on integrating addiction treatment and co-occurring mental health care, education, prevention, outreach and research, collaborating with government agencies, donors and a variety of community partners.

"From the beginning, the Addiction Alliance of Georgia was built to be a beacon of hope for individuals and families facing addiction. This funding allows us to expand access to critical care, strengthen families and is a vital investment in saving lives and restoring communities across Georgia," said Tom Johnson, a founding community partner of AAG.

In addition to AAG’s opioid settlement funding, Emory University Hospital Midtown, part of the Emory Healthcare system, and longtime collaborator Grady Health System will receive a combined $1.41 million over two years to expand peer recovery coaching, distribute naloxone to patients with substance use disorders and support chronic pain management. This funding will strengthen addiction support services across Emory’s clinical sites and other institutions, helping ensure more patients receive in-hospital support and direct connections to treatment and recovery programs.

For more information about the Addiction Alliance of Georgia and the services they offer, please visit the Addiction Alliance of Georgia website.

About the Addiction Alliance of Georgia

Combining the expertise of two national health care leaders, Emory Healthcare and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the Addiction Alliance of Georgia was established in 2020 as a unique, comprehensive partnership. It is dedicated to reducing substance-use-disorder rates, improving recovery rates and bringing hope, healing and health to more individuals and families across Georgia and beyond. The Alliance integrates addiction treatment and co-occurring mental health care, education, prevention, outreach and research in collaboration with government agencies, concerned donors and community partners throughout the state.

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About the Addiction Alliance of Georgia

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