Georgia Council on Substance Abuse Inc

We are people in recovery -- We deliver hope -- We are proof that recovery works!

Help us to help those in or seeking recovery from Substance Use Disorder

There are over 800,000 in recovery in the state of Georgia, with close to half a million battling a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and 22,000 checking into treatment every year.   Addiction effects about 1 in 10 people and their families and loved ones.

 Georgia Council on Substance Abuse (GCSA) is a non-profit organization formed in 2001 to increase the impact of recovery in Georgia's communities through education, advocacy, best practices and model programming, information dissemination, and training. GCSA creates lasting solutions for people, programming, and practice within the substance use arena. GCSA also continues to grow awareness within communities and through public policy platforms to combat the discrimination faced by individuals and families confronted with substance use challenges and disorders. 

 The Georgia Council blends professionalism with grassroots passion. GCSA understands the value of empathy, compassion, and integrity to help individuals succeed in long-term recovery. The staff and leadership lead from a place of lived experience. They join together to create and execute strategies to help communities throughout Georgia where recovery is embraced, promoted, and then sustained.  

 Through model programming in the field, GCSA increases their reach by building a workforce of peers to provide recovery support services to the communities of Georgia, through Peer Counselor education and training, Recovery Communities infrastructure development, specific direct services, advocacy, and a Warm Line that provide support and direction to those needing assistance. 

 in response to the Covid crisis GCSA leadership and staff adapted existing critically needed recovery supports to the “social distancing” reality and added additional programs that continued to provide hope to individuals, families and communities throughout Georgia.  These steps included: 

• GCSA set up remote access for our Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialists (CARES) to staff a statewide recovery warm line and to provide recovery support and individual addiction recovery check-ins reaching 4500 individuals to date. 
• GCSA instituted virtual statewide All Recovery meetings twice daily hosted by GCSA CARES staff attended by a total over 1500 individuals in or seeking recovery. 
• GCSA created phone and virtual meeting opportunities for individuals and their families who have been hospitalized in Northeast Georgia Hospital System locations for an overdose or any drug and alcohol related issue.
• GCSA developed virtual services for addicted and recovering mothers and families whose children are in Northeast Georgia Hospital system NICUs.
• GCSA hosted weekly statewide Recovery Town Halls to address recovery issues affecting every community in Georgia.  These meetings included state representatives and GA US Congressional members and were attended by over 500 persons.
• GCSA began and continues to host virtual weekly support meetings and assistance calls for over 40 existing and emerging Recovery Community Organizations throughout GA that serve over 4000 individuals per month.
• Trainings for CARES, Recovery Community Organizations and other Georgia communities were quickly and effectively switched to a virtual platform in order to continue meeting the demand for skilled peer recovery support specialists.

Help us to help others seeking or in recovery as we transition out of this difficult and challenging crisis and partner with Georgia Council on Substance Abuse to create a Georgia where recovery is promoted, valued and sustained in every town, city and county

Your donation at any amount – even $1 – enables us to provide critical recovery support services to individuals, families and communities suffering from substance use challenges and disorders.   

Thank you for your generous support!