he National Safety Council gives Illinois high marks for steps it’s taking to battle the opioid crisis, but questions remain on if the funds are there to continue the work.
Because of Illinois’ financial dire straits, state government can only spend so much to battle the opioid epidemic.
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SPRINGFIELD — The National Safety Council gives Illinois high marks for steps it’s taking to battle the opioid crisis, but questions remain on if the funds are there to continue the work.
Because of Illinois’ financial dire straits, state government can only spend so much to battle the opioid epidemic.
Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s David Hitchcock said the crisis is putting a strain on government finances.
“We’re particularly worried that any area of the budget that grows is an unexpected increase in cost,” Hitchcock said.
But National Safety Council President and CEO Deborah Hersman said there are examples in Illinois of local governments stepping up to fill the void where state government can’t.
“Whether it’s using Naloxone for their emergency responders or having diversion programs to make sure that people who might otherwise end up in the criminal justice system end up getting effective treatment,” Hersman said, noting that one of the biggest problems is 80 to 90 percent of people who become addicted to opioid painkillers don’t have access to treatment. “There are definitely challenges all over the state. This epidemic knows no age, race, gender, socioeconomic status, whether you live in a rural or urban community. Everyone is impacted.”