Cobb County announced that the Cobb County Opioid Abatement Advisory Council is accepting applications to fund programs intended to combat the opioid crisis.

The grants are funded by the Cobb County Opioid Abatement Fund, which was, in turn, funded by the national opioid settlement agreements. The funds were first available to the county in 2022, and continued as more corporations entered into agreements.

The national opioid settlements are a series of legal agreements resolving lawsuits brought by states, local governments, and tribes against companies involved in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of prescription opioids. These settlements aim to address the widespread harm caused by the opioid epidemic by providing funds for treatment, prevention, and recovery efforts.

To read articles about the opioid crisis and the National Opioid Settlement published here in the Courier, follow this link.

The 2025 application cycle opened on May 8 and will continue through July 11.

The announcement of the grant availability posted on the county website described eligible organizations and projects as follows:

Applications are welcome from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, and community partners serving Cobb County. Funding may support projects in the following categories (including, but not limited to):

• Treatment Services: Projects that expand access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), increase detox and treatment bed capacity, support treatment for justice-involved individuals, and promote telemedicine, mobile treatment units, and maternal health services.
  
• Prevention Programs: Youth education, public awareness campaigns, safe prescribing education for physicians, and family- or community-based prevention initiatives.
  
• Recovery Support Services: Programs offering peer recovery coaching, sober living support, housing and employment assistance, post-overdose care (“warm hand-offs”), and transportation to recovery programs.
  
• Harm Reduction Strategies: Distribution of naloxone and fentanyl test strips, overdose prevention education, and creation of centralized naloxone access points.

Applicants must demonstrate a measurable impact, evidence of community collaboration, and alignment with national and state opioid response strategies.

View the application guidelines and submit proposals at https://www.cobbcounty.org/communications/info-center/opioid-abatement-assistance

For more information, contact the Cobb County Opioid Abatement Advisory Council at OpioidAbatement@cobbcounty.org.