STATE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST OPIOID ABUSE.
PUBLIC HEALTH’S JENNY EPSTEIN OVERSEES THE ILLINOIS OPIOID ACTION PLAN AND SAYS OPIOID RELATED DEATHS DROPPED FROM ABOUT 22-HUNDRED IN 2017 TO TWO-THOUSAND-167 IN 2018. THAT’S THE FIRST DECREASE IN FIVE YEARS, BUT EPSTEIN SAYS THERE IS STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
EPSTEIN SAYS THE STATE NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND PROVIDING MORE ACCESS TO ADDICTION TREATMENT.
EPSTEIN SAYS THEY ARE ALSO WORKING TO BETTER REACH MINORITY COMMUNITIES…SINCE RATES OF OVERDOSE ARE HIGHER AMONG HISPANIC AND BLACK ILLINOISANS.