CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Cook County is escalating its war on opioid addiction, in Chicago and the suburbs, but the number of deaths keeps growing.
There’s no single solution to prevent drug overdoses, but County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said Cook County has several programs underway to combat Opioid Use Disorder.
"Over the next three years, we will invest more than $8 million from our American Rescue Plan funds to help in our fight against overdoses and substance abuse," Preckwinkle said.
The Department of Health and Human Services has given the Cook County Health and Hospital System a five-year, more than $2.5 million grant to fund opioid use treatment programs.
Behavioral healthcare provider WestCare Illinois is a partner in the effort, and Regional Vice President Stacy Munroe said they’ll provide help with housing, job referrals, and drug treatment at no charge.
"Most of these clients are going to return to communities and they are very in need of the wraparound services that will be provided by this grant," Munroe said.
Cook County Health CEO Israel Rocha said the important thing is getting to the people most susceptible.
"We know that some of the individuals who are most vulnerable for opiate overdoses are those who have recently experienced a period of sobriety after a hospital stay or a detention in a correctional facility," Rocha said.
It’s estimated that last year saw more than 2,100 opioid overdose deaths.
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