(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A program that helps drug addicts in Illinois is expanding to aid people who abuse alcohol.
The program targets people who suffer from "alcohol use disorder," in which people are unable to stop or control alcohol drinking regardless of the health, social or workplace consequences they face as a result.
It's a partnership of the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Chicago Department of Public Health.
“AUD is a medical condition, and it should be diagnosed and treated just like any other chronic disease, such as diabetes or heart disease,” said Dr. Nicole Gastala, Medical Director for Illinois Department of Health and Human Service Substance Use Prevention and Recovery.
The program had already been providing medications and treatment options to opioid addicts, and it will now offer three medications to help people with alcohol use disorder.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism claims the number of deaths related to alcohol abuse have risen in recent years, while less than 10 percent of people with alcohol use disorder received any treatment.
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