The Cook County Department of Public Heath (CCDPH) received $4.7 million in grant funding to prevent opioid overdose deaths, and increase access to evidence-based substance use treatment programs. The most recent grant was awarded from the Substance Abuse and Mental Heath Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the amount of $1.98 million.
These funds will be used to train Cook County law enforcement and other community partners. Additionally, it will be used to support programs to assist those with opioid use disorders in finding community-based treatment providers. CCPDH will work in tandem with Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) and the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (CCDHSEM) to reduce overdose deaths and increase the number of people accessing and staying in evidence-based outpatient treatments programs.
Additional grant funding is going toward the expansion of opioid overdose surveillance, education healthcare providers about the danger of over prescribing of opioids, and the creation of an Opioid Story Map that shows were to get naloxone as well Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) locations.