F: Current Illinois Overdose Program & Policy
Illinois Programs and Policies Addressing Overdoses
Illinois, and specifically the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), has implemented several programs and policies to address the overdose crisis, including:
- Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses. Since 2017, IDHS has distributed over 602,000 kits, or more than 1,200,000 doses of naloxone, to first responders, community organizations, and individuals at risk of overdose.
- IDHS continues to expand access to naloxone through various programs, including the distribution of free naloxone kits at hospitals and community organizations.
- IDHS has invested in expanding access to substance use treatment services, including immediate access to medication-assisted recovery (MAR) and behavioral therapy.
- Illinois has expanded access to substance use treatment through ongoing Medicaid expansion and other initiatives to ensure that more people can get the help they need.
- Illinois has legalized the distribution of fentanyl test strips, which can help people identify the presence of fentanyl in drugs.
- Illinois has Good Samaritan laws that protect all residents when calling 911 and providing naloxone to someone who may be experiencing an overdose. Protections have been expanded from year to year.
- IDHS Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery applied for and was granted federal funds to address overdoses and disparities in overdoses. The Illinois Preventing Drug Overdose Program identified Cook County, and its Black residents, as the community of high need most impacted by opioid overdose.
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