Health departments unite to #EndOverdose
Member agencies of the Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium continues its program to promote opioid overdose awareness in September. Around the world, International Overdose Awareness Day is held on Aug. 31 to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death.
Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium health departments and partners are hosting 15 free public events throughout the region to equip citizens with knowledge and tools to stop overdoses and save lives. The public is urged to attend an event to:
• Remember those who have lost their lives to overdose;
• Learn about the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose and how to use the lifesaving antidote naloxone (also known as Narcan);
• Discover local resources.
"By training residents to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and administer naloxone, we're adding more people to combat this deadly public health emergency, help save lives and get those with substance use disorder into treatment," said Dr. Amaal Tokars, president of Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium.
Remaining local overdose awareness and training events:
DeKalb County:
• Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.: NIU STEM Café at Eduardo's Mexican Restaurant, 206 E. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb. Details on the NIU website
Kane County:
• Friday, Sept. 6, at noon: Opioid Awareness Event and naloxone training at Senior Services Associates, 2111 Plum St., Aurora. To register, contact Diane Dawson at (630) 264-7696 or dawsondiane@co.kane.il.us.
• Monday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m.: Naloxone training at Kane County Sheriff's Office, 37W755 Route 38, St. Charles. To register, contact Diane Dawson at (630) 264-7696 or dawsondiane@co.kane.il.us.
Kendall County:
• Friday, Sept. 20, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.: "Opioid Overdose: Recognize, Respond, and Recovery" at 811 W. John St., Yorkville. To register, contact Nancy Villa at (630) 553-9100 by Sept. 10.
Lake County:
• Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Naloxone training at Waukegan Public Library, Ray Bradbury Room, 128 N County St., Waukegan. Visit health.lakecountyil.gov for more details.
McHenry County:
• Sunday, Sept. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon: second annual Ride for Recovery at Northern Illinois Recovery, 620 N. Route 31, Crystal Lake. To register, contact Laurie Crain (815) 334-4048 or llcrain@mchenrycountyil.gov.
Will County:
• Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 9 to 10 a.m.: Narcan training at Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet
Winnebago County:
• Wednesday, Sept. 26, at noon and 6 p.m.: Narcan training at Winnebago County Health Department, 555 N. Court St., Rockford. To register, contact Emily Schmidt at (815) 720-4283 or ESchmidt@wchd.org.
According to the National Safety Council, drug poisoning is the number-one cause of unintentional death in the United States.
The Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances, also known as the Helpline, is a free, confidential service for finding treatment and recovery providers in Illinois. Anyone can use the Helpline, whether they have a substance use disorder or care about someone who does. Trained Helpline Specialists answer questions, provide support, and connect callers to services.
Call the Helpline at (833) 2FINDHELP 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Specialists include English and Spanish-speaking staff, and interpreter services are available in any language.