Georgia will continue its cohesively progressive work happening in the state while incorporating surveillance and evidence-basedprevention strategies. - background: georgia faces an enormous burden of…

Georgia will continue its cohesively progressive work happening in the state while incorporating surveillance and evidence-basedprevention strategies. - background: georgia faces an enormous burden of opioid-involved morbidity and an escalating trend in mortality. In 2021, there were 2,412 drug overdose deaths in georgia, of which 1,693 were attributed to an opioid. From 2013 to 2021, the total number of opioid-related overdose deaths increased by 204%.in addition to an increase in the number of opioid-related deaths from 2020 to 2021, georgia also experienced a 48% increase in fentanyl-involved overdose deaths. Purpose: as the number of drug overdoses continues to rise in georgia, driven largely by fentanyl, the purpose of this request is to seek continued grant funding to support statewide initiatives to reduce the misuse, overdose, and deaths attributed to prescription and illicit drugs. Current methods: georgia department of public health(gdph) conducts syndromic surveillance for drug overdose ED visits and detailed reviews of overdose deaths through the state unintentional drug overdose surveillance system (sudors), disseminates surveillance findings widely to diverse partners, and began several data improvement projects. Gdph has also worked closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and the healthcare community to respond to cluster and changing trends in overdoses. In addition, gdph has placed 18 public health analysts (phas) to assist with county level response to overdose clusters identified. However, fentanyl overdoses have increased at an alarming rate since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, and stimulant and polysubstance use are also on the rise. Overall, the health disparity caused by the opioid epidemic continues to negatively impact individuals, families, and communities across the state, especially in areas already burdened with health inequity. Gdph has developed several strategies to address the health disparities caused by the increased use of opioids, stimulants, and polysubstances. New strategies: this will be done through improving surveillance activities, disseminating data to diverse partners, and enhancing prevention activities through strengthening linkages to care, statewide strategic planning efforts, providing education to prescribers, supporting health districts with local planning and response efforts, and strengthening the utilization of the prescription drug monitoring program (pdmp). Significance: our evaluations will reveal applicable evidence-based interventions for OUD and stud for state level agencies and improved methods for surveillance and engaging high-risk individuals.