The Opioid Crisis in Illinois: Data and the State's Response

IDHS/SUPR publishes an annual report on drug overdose trends statewide that reviews State death rates from available data to ascertain changes in the causes or rates of fatal and nonfatal drug overdose, as required by PA99-0480. The report also provides information on interventions that would be effective in reducing the rate of fatal or nonfatal drug overdose and includes an analysis of drug overdose information reported to the Department of Public Health

The Opioid Crisis in Illinois Report 2016 (pdf)

• Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) data shows 2,278 drug-related overdose deaths during 2016. This represents a 44.3 percent increase over the 1,579 drug-related overdose deaths that were reported by IDPH for 2013.
• Of the 2,278 Illinois statewide drug overdose deaths during 2016, over 80 percent (1,826) were opioid-related fatalities.
• The 1,826 opioid related overdose deaths represents an over 70 percent increase in the number of such deaths that were reported in 2013, and a 32.1 percent increase over the 1,382 opioid-related overdose that were reported by IDPH for 2015.The number of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) runs that required two Naloxone administrations increased by over 50 percent from 2013- 2015, and the number of runs that require three administrations increased by over 75 percent over this time period. This increase can be attributed to the presence of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in the substances being used.