Trump opioid declaration: What suburban experts say
The suburbs are not immune to the opioid crisis that was declared a national public health emergency Thursday by President Donald Trump.
While Trump and his critics battled over the effectiveness of his pledge to end addiction, local experts say they've been fighting the epidemic for years, and there's still plenty to be done.
Local governments and hospitals have created task forces, launched education programs, and implemented treatment and recovery plans for curbing addiction. As the number of opioid overdose deaths continues to rise, agencies will need more money and resources to ensure those efforts continue, Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim said.
“I'm happy to hear that (Trump) made this declaration ... and I'm anxious to see if it's followed up with action,” he said. “It is one of, if not the, biggest issues we face and have faced. We desperately need — not only in Lake County but across the country — funding for treatment.”
Trump's announcement won't bring any new money to fight the epidemic, White House officials said, but it is expected to expand access to medical services in rural areas and redirect federal resources to help those who are addicted.
The battle goes far beyond dollars, said Dr. Aaron Weiner, director of addiction services for Linden Oaks Behavioral Health. It's also a matter of perception.
“While his declaration will help draw attention to the problem and provide some additional resources, the more powerful statement will be the way we talk about addiction every day,” he said. “That we're not calling people addicts or junkies anymore. When we don't stigmatize people for this.”
The stigma alone kills a “vast number” of people, Weiner said. Those who are addicted to painkillers and other opioids are often too afraid to tell their loved ones or physicians.
A survey conducted this year by the National Safety Council determined one in three Illinois residents have been affected by the opioid epidemic, meaning they know someone who has been addicted, they know someone who overdosed or died from overdose, or they have been addicted themselves.
Heroin or prescription opioids contributed to nearly 80 percent of the 2,350 drug overdose deaths last year in Illinois. In suburban counties, 531 people died of opioid-related overdoses in 2016.
Edward-Elmhurst Health is among the suburban hospital systems following an Illinois Department of Public Health action plan to fight the epidemic. The group launched an opioid task force last year and upgraded its medical record system to integrate an Illinois Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
Some health systems, including Edward-Elmhurst and Amita Health, are educating doctors and physicians about opioid issues and training them to monitor patients closely. Rehabilitation programs and outpatient services devoted to the opioid crisis have also become more common.
“I think all segments of our population — the political process, the fire and police departments, the health care providers — are on the same page. We all want to work together and come up with community solutions,” said Dr. Gregory Teas, director of addiction services for Amita.
During the past three years, first responders have started using naloxone, a drug used to save the lives of people overdosing on opioids. Local governments have also started providing more education and treatment programs.
“It's an issue that sometimes people think, ‘this has nothing to do with me,' but it's everywhere. It has no boundaries,” said Barbara Jeffers, Kane County Health Department executive director. “I am hopeful that we are addressing this not just as a community, but as a nation.”
• Daily Herald wire services and staff writer Robert Sanchez contributed to this report.