Intensive Outreach by City, Partners Helps with Decline in Opioid Overdoses This Summer

CHICAGO - The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) today posted a report executive summary, sharing that intensive opioid outreach efforts this summer, especially on the West Side, played a role in flattening the curve of opioid-related deaths. Compared to the same summer months of 2023, the number of opioid overdose-related Emergency Medical Services responses June 1-August 31 decreased by 23%.

In Chicago, opioid overdoses had risen exponentially since pre-pandemic levels - from 885 in 2019 to a high of 1441 in 2021. In fact, the number of opioid-related fatalities for Chicagoans exceed those due to traffic accidents and homicides combined.

"We knew we needed to do something big and bold to help stop the tragic trajectory of loss with a rapidly evolving and volatile drug supply that continues to be dominated by fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic opioids," said Dr. Jenny (Miao) Hua, Medical Director of Behavioral Health at CDPH. "Many issues played a factor in the significant decrease we are seeing with opioid overdoses, but the City can feel proud that our work with state, county and community partners played a role in preventing higher overdose numbers."

CDPH launched the Summer Opioid Response Incident Command Structure (SOR-ICS) from June 1, 2024 to August 31, 2024 with the mission of ensuring a sustained decline in fatal overdoses during the summer months, when opioid overdose numbers tend to seasonally increase. This response consisted of five main components:

1. Community-based drug checking. When a spike of opioid overdoses occurred in early May, CDPH worked with the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on an investigation that uncovered a novel adulterant in the drug supply -- medetomidine. CDPH quickly put out guidance to healthcare providers and community organizations to alert residents to the dangers.
2. Operation SOS. CDPH partnered with West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force for door-to-door outreach in five West Side communities with high clusters of overdoses. Between July 20 and September 6, Operation Summer Overdose Safety (SOS) outreach workers had met directly with 1,072 individuals and distributed 868 outreach kits with Narcan (opioid overdose reversal medication) and other city resources.
3. Harm Reduction Distribution. CDPH maintained and expanded a robust harm reduction supply distribution network that included all 81 branches of the Chicago Public Library, select aldermanic offices, CDPH clinics, five public health vending machines and state Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) locations.
4. Access to Treatment. CDPH launched a marketing campaign to promote Medication Assisted Recovery (MAR) through its MAR NOW hotline, provided in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services and Family Guidance Center. The number of calls to MAR NOW steadily increased from May at 252 to August at 388, with Chicago callers at 17-18% compared to 11% in May. CDPH also connected with community treatment providers and safety net hospitals to ensure that patients had access to evidence-based treatment for opioid overdose and substance use.
5. Community Coordination. CDPH worked with more than 40 organizations to coordinate targeted overdose education and Narcan distribution, especially in areas identified as overdose hotspots in the City, based on hyperlocal heat maps through Chicago Fire Department Emergency Medical Services.

"What we saw this summer is an amplification of harm reduction, education and treatment strategies in which the City has been highly engaged over the past couple of years," said Dr. Olusimbo (Simbo) Ige, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. "Harnessing the power of state, county and community partnership has made a difference. We pledge to keep up the fight year 'round - all of us are devoted to saving lives."

View the full opioid report on the City of Chicago website.

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