The Addiction Alliance of Georgia (AAG), a collaboration between Emory Healthcare and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, has opened a new 7,000-square-foot Adolescent Outpatient Program at the Emory Addiction Center in Atlanta, expanding access to specialized substance use prevention, early intervention and treatment services for youth and families across Georgia.

The expansion is supported by $2.5 million in philanthropic gifts and a $4.4 million Georgia opioid abatement grant awarded through the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust as part of the state’s allocation from the 2022 national opioid settlement with pharmaceutical companies. The funding provides treatment scholarships for uninsured or underinsured adolescents, expands family services and supports outcomes research to measure and improve program effectiveness while increasing overall treatment capacity.

The program, located at the Emory Addiction Center, was made possible through contributions from The O. Wayne Rollins Foundation and The Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation. The space was designed for adolescents and their families, addressing a critical need as substance use disorders often begin during the teen years.

The opening strengthens coordinated care across Atlanta and beyond. Through a collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, emergency departments use the CRAFFT (Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble) screening tool, a validated six-question screening instrument, to identify adolescents with higher risk substance use.

A streamlined referral pathway now connects Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta directly to the Emory Addiction Center/Addiction Alliance of Georgia despite the two systems operating on different electronic medical record platforms, allowing adolescents to be referred quickly to specialized outpatient care. Parents and family members referred through Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta also have immediate access to Hazelden Betty Ford’s Family Program services, regardless of whether the adolescent is admitted for treatment through the Addiction Alliance of Georgia.

“Early identification and rapid connection to treatment can change the trajectory of a young person’s life,” said Justine Welsh, MD, medical director of the Addiction Alliance of Georgia. “This program allows us to intervene earlier and deliver evidence-based care at a pivotal moment for adolescents and families.”

 “We know that when families are engaged in care, outcomes improve,” said Danielle Kretman, executive director of strategic program implementation and partnerships at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. “This expansion gives adolescents and their parents access to evidence-based treatment and family support at the same time, strengthening the foundation of long-term recovery.”

The new adolescent program is one of several ways Addiction Alliance of Georgia is using Georgia’s opioid settlement funding to expand treatment capacity, improve early identification and reduce financial barriers across its programs, for individuals and families affected by substance use disorders.

For more information, visit the Addiction Alliance of Georgia website. To schedule a new patient appointment or speak with an admissions and clinical specialist, call 1-800-434-7495. Existing patients may call 404-778-5526.