10-year-old Salia Woodbury pictured, whose parents are in recovery, with "Sesame Street" character Karli in New York. Sesame Workshop is addressing the issue of addiction.

10-year-old Salia Woodbury pictured, whose parents are in recovery, with "Sesame Street" character Karli in New York. Sesame Workshop is addressing the issue of addiction.

Georgia is among the top 11 states when it comes to most prescription opioid overdose deaths. President Trump declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency in 2017.

Earlier this year, state agencies received $10.3 million in federal funding to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction and overdose. While federal funding could make a dent in adult dependency, Sesame Street aims to support children affected by parental addiction. On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott speaks with Jeanette Betancourt.

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, recently launched the initiative. Jeanette Betancourt is Sesame Workshop's senior vice president of U.S. Social Impact. She spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about the new initiative that includes a new muppet, Karli. Betancourt also discussed the strengths that has kept the show successful for 50 years.

Marking the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street and 50 years of partnership with PBS, the initiative deepens Sesame Workshop's longstanding commitment to using the power of public television to bring critical early learning to children across the country in communities big and small. GPB is one of the ten stations selected for the program. 

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Tags: Muppet  Karli  Dr. Jeanette Betancourt  parental addiction  Sesame Workshop  Sesame Street  opioid crisis  addiction  Atlanta  Georgia