How Georgia Leveraged Data and Partnerships to Improve Overdose Preparedness and Response
September 15, 2026 | Arnelle Toffey, Jessica Pough
Disruptions in access to prescription-controlled substances can create immediate risks for patients and communities, requiring rapid and coordinated response. Georgia’s experience demonstrates how advanced planning, established protocols, data-informed decision-making, and strong partnerships can strengthen preparedness and response to these events. This resource highlights Georgia’s approach and offers practical strategies that jurisdictions can adapt to build and sustain disruption response capacity, including:
- State leadership and response structure: Learn how Georgia integrates disruption preparedness into existing overdose prevention and public health/public safety infrastructure and leverages designated state contacts to coordinate across response partners.
- Preparedness and response protocols: Explore how Georgia developed and tested a disruption response protocol that clarifies partner roles, communication pathways, and response activities, and routinely reviews and updates the protocol to maintain readiness.
- Data-informed situational awareness: Understand how Georgia uses the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, overdose surveillance, and other data sources to identify potentially affected populations, assess potential impacts, monitor trends, and guide response activities.
- State and local coordination: Learn how state and local partners coordinate outreach, communication, and resources while tailoring response efforts to local needs.
- Continuous improvement: Explore how post-event monitoring, debriefs, and lessons learned are used to refine protocols, strengthen partnerships, and improve preparedness for future disruptions.
Georgia’s experience demonstrates that effective disruption response begins before an event occurs. By integrating disruption preparedness into existing public health infrastructure, jurisdictions can strengthen coordination, improve situational awareness, and respond more effectively when disruptions occur. Read the full report for more.