Opioid Epidemic

To improve local public health approaches for addressing Georgia’s opioid crisis by supporting high quality, comprehensive, and timelier data obtainment on overdose morbidity and mortality and using that data to inform and implement prevention and response efforts. SCHD assists  with the development and implementation of local/district opioid, stimulant, and polysubstance overdose prevention and response strategies, including enrollment in the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) created by  High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA).

The Georgia Medical Amnesty 911 Law

Call 911, Do Not Hesitate

• Georgia’s Medical Amnesty Law protects victims and callers seeking medical assistance at drug or alcohol overdose scenes.
• Limited liability for possession of small amounts of drugs and/or alcohol- this applies to the victim as well as the caller.
• Limited liability for breaches of parole, restraining order, probation and other violations.

Signs of an Opioid Overdose

Call 911 Immediately if these symptoms occur:

• Unresponsiveness
• Awake, but unable to talk
• Limp posture
• Face is pale or clammy
• Blue fingernails or lips
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Not breathing
• Pulse is slow, erratic, or absent
• Choking sounds or gurgling sounds
• For lighter skinned people, the skin tone turns bluish purple; for darker skinned people, the skin tone turns grayish or ashen.