Two years after issuing an executive order creating a committee to address the opioid crisis in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday announced the formation of a statewide Overdose Action Plan to tackle a problem that only got worse during the pandemic.
“There are so many people who end up in a struggle with the disease that is addiction — self-medicating, trauma, simultaneous mental health challenges, a pain prescription gone wrong,” Pritzker said. “But no matter what brings someone here, their life is worth saving.
In 2020, nearly 3,000 Illinois residents died of an opioid overdose, up 32.7% from 2019 and “the deadliest overdose year on record in Illinois,” Pritzker said during an event at the Westside Community Triage and Wellness Center in West Garfield Park.
