Atlanta, GA

Atlanta is the capital of and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia, with an estimated 2017 population of 486,290. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, home to 5.8 million people and the ninth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Atlanta is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia. A small portion of the city extends eastward into neighboring DeKalb County.

Atlanta was founded as a Terminus City in 1837 when the Georgia Railroad and Canal Company built a rail line to the town’s site along the Chattahoochee River. The city rose from the ashes of the American Civil War to become a national center of commerce. During the 1950s and 1960s, Atlanta became a major organizing center of the civil rights movement, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, and many other locals playing major roles in the movement’s leadership. Today, Atlanta’s economy is considered diverse, with dominant sectors that include logistics, professional and business services, media operations, and information technology.

Despite its rich and vibrant history, Atlanta faces many challenges, including addiction. As of 2020, there were an estimated 486,000 people living with addiction in Atlanta. That’s 1 in 10 residents. Addiction does not discriminate, meaning it can affect people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. As such, addiction treatment is vital to saving lives.