KCC_Opioid Awareness_032819

OPIOID AWARENESS

Opioid Awareness Safe Keeping A Parent’s Guide to the Opioid Crisis

6 Steps to Help Your Loved One Get Treatment

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• Resource Guide • Messages from the Kane County Sheriff and Coroner SM-CL1641648

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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From the editor...

About 10 years ago, while working in Will County, I composed a series of articles on heroin addiction and the spread of the epidemic into the west suburban area. For many months, the western and southwestern suburbs had experienced a surge in drug related crime, overdoses, and folks seeking treatment.

It still held with it a stigma that the drug had carried from many years ago – visions of desperate people in back alleys, or life long rock and roll stars filled many minds. But it was about that time that the very real story of opioid addiction was coming to light, and the portrait of the addict had a very different look.

Suburban middle class moms, teenagers, fathers, teachers, coaches and high school athletes were falling victim to opioid addiction. A doctor from Linden Oaks told me at the time, that more people were getting addicted than ever before, and they felt it

Sherri Dauskurdas Managing Editor Kane County Chronicle Media

was a direct result of the prescription version of the pain killers, offered following injury, that left patient after patient at the mercy of the addictive drug. He said it was the most difficult drug withdrawal he knew of, so painful and ill-inducing that most people going through it would do just about anything to make the withdrawal go away. Because of that, it was a nearly impossible addiction to overcome alone.

An addict described the sensation of being high on the drug as “God wrapping you in a warm blanket.” For a decade, that’s an image

Conley Outreach: Conley Outreach has been “Caring for the Heart of Community” for over 35 years through its grief services, the West Towns Network Networ Net wor and its community programs.

Adult Support Groups:

738 hours of community service

Elburn & Countryside Community Center 525 N. Main Street, Room 10, Elburn

500 families linked to area services

GOOD GRIEF DAY CAMP

Good Grief Day Camp is a one-week, nonresidence camp designed specifically for children ages 6-12 who have lost a parent or sibling to death. The camp uses the healing elements of music, theater, art and nature to help children on their unique grief journey.

600 hot meals

At Good Grief Day Camp, our goal is to help children begin the healing process by meeting them wherever they are in their feelings, offering understanding, and helping them express their grief experience and feelings. The camp is held each year at Farm Friends/ The McCannon Farm during the last week of June.

Thanks for reading.

CONLEY OUTREACH COMMUNITY SERVICES

Serving The Community

250 received financial help

I have been unable to shake.

Today, the crisis persists. Mothers have lost their sons and daughters to the addiction.

Children have lost their parents. Crimes committed to support the addiction continue to affect our communities.

Progress has been made in terms of counseling, access to treatment, emergency care and public awareness. But many of our friends and neighbors are still fighting the addiction that continues to ravage our communities, as others persevere in the battle to end this horrible addiction altogether.

Some of their stories are in the pages that follow. We invite to read them, and perhaps be moved to help in the fight, or if you are suffering with addiction, to seek the help you need.

455+ people received grief support

594 received clothing

116 W. Pierce St. Elburn, IL 60119 630-365-2880

www.conleyoutreach.org

Conley Outreach Community Services (COCS) is a 501[c](3) non-profit committed to “Caring for the Heart of Community” in western Kane County. COCS services within three primary program areas: 1) Information Networking, Referral and Advocacy 2) Grief Support 3) Community Services Through the Community Service division, COCS offers programs that strengthen individuals, families and communities. The Community Care Team (CCT) is a network of adult natural helpers who receive specialized training in how to effectively listen, respond, and refer friends and neighbors for. These volunteers also help in the Good Samaritan Clothing Closet and the Monthly Meals program. Our Emergency Assistance Program provides limited, short-term financial assistance to local individuals and families through the Good Samaritan Fund, Holiday Spirit, and by serving as a Salvation Army extension site.

Conley Outreach is a small grassroots organization, started over 25 years ago by the late Bruce Conley to provide grief aftercare to the Kaneland community. Today, it serves between 2000 and 2750 people annually. It is because of the ongoing funding of the INC Board and others that COCS is able to offer its services at no cost. Conley Outreach provides its services out of the two West Towns offices at 54 Snow Street in Sugar Grove and Room 10 of the Elburn Community Center, 525 N. Main Street. For more information about Conley Outreach and its programs call 630/365-2880 or visit www.conleyoutreach.org.

BREAKING FREE - March Madness

As a society, we also are engaged in battle, a battle for the sanctity of our communities being threatened by drug abuse and addiction. The Center for Disease Control estimates that there were 2,278 deaths related to opioid overdose in Illinois in 2016. In Kane County alone there were over 70 deaths related to opioid overdose in 2018, and the numbers are only expected to rise. As striking as these numbers are, the news is not all bad. As we have seen with the recent tragedy faced by our community, Kane County has a way of banding together in times of crisis. The Sherriff’s Department along with the Coroner’s Office is partnering with substance abuse treatment providers to help turn the tide in this battle. Initiatives like A Way Out program are being started. With this program individuals can walk into a participating police station and request help with their addiction and be

referred to a local treatment provider. The Kane County Opioid Task Force is being mobilized to coordinate both prevention and treatment services to address the epidemic.

Breaking Free (630-897-1003) in Aurora is involved with these and many other programs in Kane County. Breaking Free offers many prevention programs, primarily in local schools, as well as many treatment options for those struggling with substance abuse. People can come to Breaking Free, free of judgment, for an assessment of their condition. To schedule an appointment, a person just needs to call in and provide some basic information. On the day of your assessment you will meet with a qualified substance abuse counselor who will help to identify and clarify the challenges you may be facing, and then recommend treatment options. At Breaking Free we offer a wide variety of treatment options designed to meet the individual where they are at. We have Substance Abuse Education services, Individual Counseling, several Outpatient Groups (Men’s Group, Women’s Group, Relationships Group, and Mindfulness Group), and even a Men’s Intensive Outpatient Program and a Women’s Intensive Outpatient Program for individuals who require additional support during there treatment journey. Breaking Free can also assist individuals with Medication Assisted Treatment provided by our Licensed Physician Assistant.

BREAKING FREE

is committed to one goal:

helping individuals and families live in a community where everyone reaches their full potential.

We do this by building strong family foundations and rebuilding those impacted by substance abuse and other life changes.

BREAKING FREE • 120 Gale Street • Aurora, IL 60506 630.897.1003 SM-CL1635005

www.BreakingFreeInc.org

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

The month of March actually derives its name from Martius, the first month of the Roman calendar, a month also associated with Mars, the Roman god of war. March brings with it some of the perennial markers of spring such as the vernal equinox (after which the amount of daylight we have each day actually begins exceeding the hours of dark), basketball tournaments, spring training baseball, and St Patrick’s Day. It is interesting to note, that in a month named after the god of war, many of these involve some sort of battle.

Light battles dark, battles on the hardwood or on the diamond, and even St Patrick is famous for his battle to drive the snakes (druids) out of Ireland.

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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Over a Century of Caring for the Fox Valley

• ST. CHARLES 405 E. Main Street St. 630. 584.0060

• GENEVA 1771 W State St. 630.232.7337

www.yursfuneralhomes.com SM-CL1640908

Kane County Jail when released. Detainees are also afforded access to our myriad of job training and employment connection programs to begin a new life path. Our citizens may find comfort in that all of these programs are currently funded by inmate commissary commission and zero of their tax dollars.

Perhaps our most exciting venture is our current mission to lease over 25,000 square feet of unused space at the Sheriff’s Office and Adult Corrections Ron Hain Center to a local treatment center.

Kane County Sherrif This open space will be transformed to accept both walk-in clients for residential care or the in-custody addicted population. Knowing that in 2018, the Kane County jail experienced at least 340 people displaying opioid withdrawal symptoms, we believe the treatment center lease will serve the tremendous need of ending addiction, providing new avenues for career opportunities, and driving down local reoffending by re-thinking our approach to corrections and policing in Kane County.

Safe Keeping A parent’s guide to the opioid crisis

By David Caraviello ~ CTW Features

Jessica Wong, a youth and addiction specialist with Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in Plymouth, Minn., has seen kids get hooked at 8. “If you haven’t had conversations about substance abuse by age 15, kids have already formed very strong opinions what’s safe and what’s not,” she says.

That opioids are prescribed makes kids think they’re safer than street drugs. Seventy percent of youths who abuse prescription medication steal them from their own homes, or those of friends. Wong knew of two youths who would hit open houses, one chatting up the real estate agent while the other raided the bathrooms looking for pills.

“The first thing you need to do is secure them,” McKnight says. “I recommend that everyone have their medicine in a lockbox or a locked cabinet that only adults in the house can get into. You can even get a tackle box and put a padlock on it. It doesn’t have to be fancy.”

If opioids are in the home, parents should know how many pills are in the bottle relative to how many have been taken. Those using the medication should transition to something like ibuprofen as soon as possible. Take the remaining pills to a disposal drop box, or grind them up with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or kitty litter.

“Don’t throw the prescription bottle in the trash can,” McKnight says, “because teenagers who really want this medication with go through the trash and pick them out.”

But not even keeping the home opioid-free is foolproof. Signs of opioid use include sweating, nausea and contracted pupils. Also watch for sleeping too much or too little, loss of interest in hobbies or friends, secretiveness and missing money.

And when confronting the child, “It’s important for the parent to not get overly emotional,” McKnight says. “Their response needs to be measured, quiet, and serious. Not shouting and yelling. You need to have them realize it’s a serious moment. The parents have to stay calm, which can be very difficult.”

If substance abuse is suspected, experts suggest starting with the family physician. Treatment centers become an option once drug use begins to have consequences such as police involvement. Addicts are not always willing patients, but Wong urges parents to exert all the leverage they have.

It can be painful and uncomfortable, but also save their life.

“You’re dancing around the possibility of upsetting your son or daughter to an extent where you’re going to lose contact with them,” Wong says.

“But that doesn’t mean parents should back off. … You have to live in that discomfort that comes when you’re a parent pushing your child toward seeking help, and they’re absolutely refusing it, because that’s part of this disease.”

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

When addressing the concerns surrounding opioids in Kane County, we must consider the one location that is a fusion center for everyone in our community exhibiting addiction, mental health, and corroborating criminal issues: the Kane County jail.

When I took office as Sheriff and assumed leadership of the corrections center, I was astounded by the number of detainees displaying withdrawal symptoms and the minimal medical care we provided. The effects of an untreated opioid withdrawal can be quite painful to the victim and unsanitary to the facility. Side effects often include body aches, profuse sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea. I learned we were merely providing them with what amounts to ibuprofen and antacids. After the suffering and as soon as judicially appropriate, we would release them out the front door with no support. Also noting that those recently released from incarceration are stated to be 74 times more likely to overdose on opioids if left without diversion, we knew we had to do something…and fast.

Our new program, in collaboration with Lighthouse Recovery, focuses on detained Kane County residents who are exhibiting those same withdrawal symptoms. The initial pilot program allows up to thirty in-custody patients, providing them with medically assisted treatment to abate addiction and withdrawal symptoms. The selected detainees will then receive in-house counseling, with a warm hand-off to Lighthouse Recovery counseling

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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In the biblical biographies of Jesus in the Bible, there is an account of a woman who suffered for 18 years. She had heard about this Jewish teacher, Jesus. She had heard that he healed people. She heard that, through him, getting better was possible. When she heard Jesus was nearby, she did whatever she had to do to get to him. She dared to believe and to hope. And she was healed.

At Christ Community Church (ccclife.org), we recognize that life can be hard. We, like that woman, can suffer. Pain can be overwhelming.

We make decisions we regret. We live with guilt. We want to get better, but we may have lost hope in that ever happening. No matter how you’re struggling, you are not alone. We are here to walk through struggle with you--but also offer help to not stay there. Hope is real.

Healing is possible.

Each of the four Christ Community Church campuses in the western suburbs offers a weekly collection of support and recovery groups we call Care Night. It a place for help, hope, and healing. Here, many have found healing--like the suffering woman--through Jesus.

At every Care Night, we offer the Surrender & Win recovery group for a wide-range of addictions from drugs and alcohol to food, gambling, pornography, and more. No matter what you are struggling with, we want to help set you free and provide you with the tools

necessary to be restored to wholeness.

While group availability varies by campus, Care Night at Christ Community also offers the following groups and workshops: Family Members of Addicts and Alcoholics.

This group is designed to bring encouragement and hope to family members, spouses, or loved ones of an addict. It will challenge your thinking about the addiction and enable you to best help your addicted loved one.

Re-engage Marriage Workshop. Whether your marriage needs to be reignited, or is in need of a complete resurrection, re-engage is a safe place for couples to reconnect and grow. We explore topics like embracing humility, extending grace and forgiveness, communication and conflict, commitment and truth, expectations and understanding and more.

Divorce and Separation Care. Find help and healing for the hurt of separation and divorce.

Divorce Care is a friendly and caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. Don’t go through separation or divorce alone. Groups are led by people who understand what you are going through and want to help. You’ll gain access to valuable Divorce Care resources to help you deal with the pain of the past and look forward to rebuilding your life.

Grief Support. Grieving the loss of a loved one? Join a group that provides a safe

environment for grieving adults to find comfort and peace in their journey towards spiritual and emotional healing. This group explores topics related to the grief process followed by small group table discussions with others who have experienced a similar loss.

Post-Abortion Recovery. If you’re a woman who has ever made the decision of abortion and now find yourself suffering with fear, guilt, anger, isolation, sadness or grief, join this confidential group to experience a deep healing of freedom and forgiveness. Our St. Charles Campus also offers a post-abortion group for men struggling with the emotional fallout of abortion.

Financial Peace University (FPU). This is a practical, biblically-based nine-week course from Dave Ramsey, which is designed to help you learn to handle money God’s way.

The dynamic, motivational lessons are an essential for people in any financial situation, and cover topics like eliminating debt, saving and spending wisely, and how to give like never before. Engaging teaching, scriptural application, discussion, and practical tools will challenge you to make a plan for your money and change your family tree forever!

Learn more about Care Night in Aurora, DeKalb, St. Charles, or Streamwood at ccclife. org/carenight.

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

Hope is real.

Healing is possible.

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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Geneva resident starts petition for ‘Casey’s Law’

By Aimee Barrows This article originally appeared in the Kane County Chronicle Dec. 6 2018 Renee Portokalis knows what it’s like to live with an addict. She knows the heartache and the fear, the desperation of wanting to help someone you love without success.

The Geneva resident is fighting to save the life of a loved one and the countless others who are dealing with substance abuse and drug addiction.

Her family member, who is 24, has been an addict since she was a teen. In Illinois, those older than 18 can’t be forced into rehabilitation against their will, and they have the ability to check themselves out.

So Portokalis is pushing Illinois lawmakers to pass Casey’s Law, which allows family members and friends to petition a judge to involuntarily commit addicts 18 and older into treatment facilities. The law is named after Matthew Casey Wethington, who died in 2002 at age 23 from a heroin overdose.

“She’s been in and out of rehab about 25 times, and each time, she’d run away,” Portokalis said. “Before she turned 18, I had the power to do something about it. But now, as an adult, if she leaves [a treatment facility], she leaves.

I can’t do anything. Her brain can’t make the correct decisions, and I need to make them for her.”

Casey’s Law, which has been passed in Kentucky and Ohio, allows loved ones to intervene on behalf of an addict, who may be unable to recognize their need for treatment because of impairment. Petitioners must demonstrate that the addict presents a danger to himself or herself or others and could benefit from treatment.

The petitioner is required to pay all costs incurred in the process and is responsible for finding an appropriate treatment facility. The respondent could be held in contempt of court for failure to comply with the judge’s orders.

Portokalis is collecting signatures in an online petition and has been reaching out to lawmakers from state representatives to President Donald

Trump in an effort to pass Casey’s Law in Illinois.

“I want to meet with everyone. I’m not going to stop until I get this passed,” Portokalis said.

“I’m tired of seeing all these young people die.

I’m asking people to sign the petition. I don’t want money. I want support.

This law is needed and not just for me. I want everyone to have this power if they have a loved one who is an addict. The epidemic is out of control.”

Kane County Sheriff-elect Ron Hain is very much in favor of getting Casey’s Law passed locally.

He said that the county has had a dramatic rise in overdose deaths since 2016 and that the law could help save lives.

“Addiction has a broad reach, and giving family members a resource to get their loved ones the proper care to get their lives back on track would be a powerful tool to help combat the epidemic,” he said. “I’m planning to advocate for Casey’s Law going forward.”

Portokalis said her family member began smoking marijuana at age 13 and progressed to pills when she was a freshman in high school. A

friend taught her how to inject heroin when she was 15, and Portokalis believes she now is now abusing several drugs.

“Most kids start using drugs because they think they’re having fun,” she said. “She told me that she never wanted to become an addict. I couldn’t fight the drugs. I tried very hard, but I failed.”

Dr. Stephen Holtsford, an emergency room doctor who also works with addicts at Lighthouse Recovery Inc. in St. Charles, said that anyone with substance abuse problems has a high mortality rate.

“This is absolutely a disease and not a moral failing,” he said. “Just like any disease, some addicts respond to treatment and some don’t.”

For Portokalis, fighting for this legislation is a race with the clock.

“She’s a smart girl who made bad decisions and has been around bad people. My goal is to get this law passed and get her the help she needs. Her life is in jeopardy. I don’t want her to die before this passes.”

For more information about Casey’s Law, visit www.caseyslaw.org.

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A few weeks ago, actress Amanda Bynes announced that she was four years sober, combated the drug addictions that derailed her career and is ready for a Hollywood comeback.

She admitted, in an interview with Paper magazine, that she was high on Adderall on the set of her last movie, Hall Pass in 2010. She quit that movie and proceeded to make very provocative and questionable Twitter posts before publicly announcing that she was retiring from acting.

She continued her downward spiral of drug use before deciding that she wanted to get well, but openly credits her parents for “helping me get back on track.”

If you have a loved one who is struggling with addiction, you may want to help them get back on track too, but how do you do it? opioid addiction can prescribe medications, such as buprenorphine and naltrexone.”

1. Urge them to talk to their doctor.

not the case today. “There is no evidence that a highly confrontational intervention with a threat is particularly helpful and, for some people, it spirals them along,” he says.

3. Stay present, with limits.

Instead of using tough love, Kertesz suggests that staying present in the addict’s life is very important, but setting limits with them is a must.

“Tell them you’ll bail them out of jail, but won’t give them money, or that you can talk to them anytime they want, but can’t do something else,” he says. “Drawing boundaries while you remain connected is a way to walk the line and provide love, but make it clear that there is a problem and that they need to get help.”

4. Provide resources.

Finally, your loved one might not know where to turn for rehabilitation, so provide them with a list of resources, including local therapists. Your 2. Be honest. list can include the National Institute on Alcohol In some cases, a good long talk might pull at Abuse and Alcoholism (www.niaaa.nih.gov; 301their heartstrings and encourage them to seek 443-3860); and The Center for Substance Abuse treatment. “People make the decision to enter treatment based on their assessment of how their Treatment, a part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (24-hour addiction is affecting their life, including their National Treatment Referral Hotline (1-800-662family and the people around them that they care about,” says Dr. Stefan Kertesz, University of HELP and www.samhsa.gov/about-us/who-weAlabama at Birmingham professor and addiction are/offices-centers/csa). specialist. “Reiterate how important it is to them, 5. Find a treatment center. and how harmful it is to their relationships with “If you have money and can get your loved their loved ones, that they seek out help for their one into treatment and they are open to it, addiction.” it’s a possibility but just know that it’s not a Forget about getting tough: For years, Kertesz guaranteed fix,” says Kerstesz, who recommends says that we were schooled that addicts needed

“If you are concerned about a family member or loved one who uses opioids, urge them to talk to whoever prescribed their medications,” says Tammy Slater, assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland.

Their doctor might be able to provide medications to help treat their addiction.

“Opioid use disorder is a chronic disease, much like diabetes or heart disease. There is an evidence-based approach for treating opioid addiction using medications that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration along with counseling and other supportive service,” says Slater. “Prescribers such as nurse practitioners, physicians and physician assistants tough love and rejection in order to show them who are specially trained to provide treatment for they have a problem and get them help. That’s

See LOVE, page 10

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

6 steps to help your loved one get treatment

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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Hart Chiropractic:

• LOVE Continued from page 9 the research of addictive behavior by author William Miller.

In his book, “Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People to Change Addictive Behavior”(The Guilford Press, 2012), Miller writes, “Making a change, however, does not guarantee that the change will be maintained.

Obviously, human experience is filled with good intentions and initial changes, followed by minor (“slips”) or major (“relapses”) steps backward.

Maintaining a change may require a different set of skills and strategies than were needed to accomplish the change in the first place.”

Adjusting the Opioid Problem

Low back and neck pain are extremely common conditions that consume large amounts of health care resources. For some, this is where the path to addiction starts. The prescription path problem: patient comes in because of back pain---a prescription for pain meds is written---pain is gone but underlying reason for pain is not corrected---patient runs out of meds--pain comes back---a stronger pain med is prescribed.

Did you know: Adults receiving chiropractic care were 55% less likely to 6. Understand you can’t fix it. fill a prescription for opioids.

It’s hard to watch a loved one suffer from addiction and as much as you Dr. Hart along with his team have developed a team approach to may want to help, it’s not up to you and it might not work. They may refuse care involving spinal adjustments, muscle therapy, functional movement to go to treatment and refuse your support. exercises and spinal decompression.

“We don’t have the power to make the recovery happen,” says Kertesz.

“We are proud to have had success with patients avoiding surgery and “Family has more power than doctors, but unless you have the power of the pain killers by utilizing chiropractic along with our spinal decompression law on your side, you are waiting for the individual to recalibrate, but that table, the DRX9000C. This sophisticated table scientifically rivals any doesn’t always work. In some cases, if they are suffering severe memory traction table commonly found in many clinics treating sciatica, herniated loss because of years of drinking, they can’t even remember their own discs and bulging discs.” intentions.”

Hart Chiropractic is dedicated to finding the underlying source of the Kertesz says to remain loving, direct and clear with your loved one and problem causing the pain and using chiropractic, muscle therapy, and hopefully, like Amanda Bynes, they will get help and ultimately succeed in spinal decompression to address the problem naturally. their recovery.

In loving memory of

For over 17 years, we have been helping the fox valley live a better quality of life

Christopher Foley 1/29/80 – 7/15/07 St. Charles, IL

naturally!

My Son It broke my heart to lose you, But you did not go alone A part of me went with you The day God called you home.

A million times I’ve thought of you A million times I’ve cried, If loving could have saved you You would have never died.

Forgive me Lord, I’ll always weep For my son I loved so much But yet I could not keep.

Forever in Our Hearts SM-CL1635536

The missing puzzle piece to treating your spinal disc disorders without drugs and surgery!

It’s time to try Hart Chiropractic.

1803 W State Street Geneva, IL 60134 hartchiropractic.com

630-262-1421

Text “PUZZLE” to 630-262-1421 to see how Hart Chiropractic can help you.

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Compassionate Treatment for Substance Use Disorders If you or a loved one is battling drug or alcohol dependency or addiction, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital can help.

Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Health at Central DuPage Hospital offers the latest in medical and therapeutic care for the treatment of substance use disorders, including opioid and alcohol abuse.

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

In response to the current opioid addiction epidemic, Behavioral Health has expanded care options to help those struggling with addiction to move toward long-term recovery. Behavioral Health offers: • Addiction medicine physicians who deliver care in outpatient and inpatient settings • Psychiatry consultation for patients who have co-occurring mental health disorders • Onsite medication-assisted therapy offered to patients enrolled in Northwestern Medicine addiction programs, bringing long-term relief from alcohol and opioid withdrawal symptoms and cravings • Patient education led by medical professionals, including physicians and nurses, regarding medication-assisted therapy, opioid-overdose rescue and smoking cessation The first step towards a long-lasting recovery and return to normalcy is an in-person clinical evaluation. This evaluation includes assessment of physical symptoms and mental health treatment needs. The skilled Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Health assessment team uses American Society of Addiction Medicine criteria to determine appropriate program placement.

Take the first step to recovery: Schedule an evaluation by calling 630.933.4000.

Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Health is proud to make a difference for individuals and families struggling with emotional, psychiatric, substance abuse or addiction issues. Our team of expert,

Insurance coverage is required for admission to medical facilities. Most major medical insurances are accepted at Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Health at Central DuPage Hospital. Accepted Affordable Care Act insurance plans are Meridian and BCBS Community Family Health Plan.

About Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Health Northwestern Medicine provides a full range of behavioral health services for teens and adults challenged with psychiatric or mental health problems, and adults with substance abuse or addiction disorders.

Our specialists provide research-based, best-practice inpatient and outpatient care to meet the patient’s specific treatment needs.

compassionate providers is with you every step of the way, offering emotional support and advanced therapies tailored to your needs.

No matter when or why you need us, we’ll be there. To learn more about what makes us better, or to find a location near you, visit nm.org/behavioralhealth.

BETTER

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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LIFE-SAVING ADDICTION TREATMENT At Gateway Foundation Aurora, our personalized addiction treatment programs provide the best care to meet your needs. We help patients and families achieve and sustain recovery through our alcohol and drug treatment programs: • •

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Call us for a free, in-depth confidential consultation.

877.505.4673 400 Mercy Ln, Aurora, IL 60506 24-Hour Admissions | 630.966.7400 | GatewayFoundation.org SM-CL1634937

Superior Patient Satisfaction Scores Treating more than 9,000 patients per day, 97% of patients would recommend Gateway Foundation to others1.

First in Illinois to Achieve Dual-Diagnosis Enhanced Certification Experts in treating co-occurring mental health disorders, which studies indicate 40% of substance use disorder patients suffer2.

Nine Evidence-Based Practices Custom treatment plans are derived from a wide range of evidence-based practices such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Sobriety.

Certified Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Center Administered by a physician, MAT can ease withdrawal symptoms, eliminate cravings and block opiate receptors helping to lead to lifetime of sobriety.

A Lifetime of Recovery- Beyond 30 Days Gateway Foundation is the first to establish a robust alumni community with daily meetings, online message boards and a platform to take their 30-day education and treatment into a lifetime of practice.

24-Hour Helpline | 877.505.HOPE (4673) | GatewayFoundation.org Press Ganey Associates, Behavioral Health Survey, 2015.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center of Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2017.

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

5 Reasons To Choose Gateway Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Treatment

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Addiction Medicine. Saving Lives.

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What does your future look like?

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

Our family of therapists at a Care Addiction Center has been serving the tri-cities and surrounding communities for over ten years.

We are licensed through the Illinois Department of Alcohol and Substance Abuse and are also CARF Accredited. Care Addiction Center is a individualized, comprehensive, and professional program that aims to help adults suffering from alcohol or drug addiction. Our compassionate recovery team works with you to accomplish your goals in small, intimate, and individualized groups. Most groups accommodate only up to six individuals. Our small group settings allow our patients to feel comfortable and to build relationships with our staff. We work tirelessly to help you to build the skills you needs to reestablish your health and meet your personal goals. At Care, recovery begins at the door. We know there are many different levels of recovery needs. We are ready to meet you where you are. Care offers evening Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Outpatient Program (OP), After Care Groups, Individual Counseling, DUI Evaluations and DUI Treatment. We look forward to working with you. Come as you are at CARE. Call today to learn how we can help.

INTIMATE UNDERSTANDING ADDICTION CARE Care Addiction Center provides compassionate, confidential & professional treatment services for adults suffering from alcohol & substance abuse.

We believe that recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction is possible, even in very late stages. Our experienced and caring staff is dedicated to providing comprehensive drug treatment services for alcoholism and substance abuse with multiple levels of care.

TREATMENT PROGRAMS INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT

Centered on small, intimate, and individualized sessions. Our groups are generally less than six clients. Smaller groups empower honesty and growth among patients to share their history’s, gain strong connections with their peers, and learn healthy alternatives.

OUTPATIENT

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Is designed for patients who need a less intensive program or in some cases need to maintain a connection and support a�er they’ve completed an IOP program.

AFTER CARE

Program for individuals who have completed and outpatient program, and see the benefits of maintaining contact with our program and the individuals they’ve come to know.

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING

Available at your convenience, provided by one of our compassionate counselors. We are here to help in the most, appropriate, and effective ways we can.

Call us today for questions or to schedule an assessment Care Addictions is in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare and offers Scholarships.

1250 Executive PI #301 • Geneva, IL 60134 • (630) 402-0144

Kane County Coroner

Rob Russell Kane County Coroner As coroner of Kane County, I have seen much death. My main responsibility is to determine the Cause of each death then determine what is called the Manner or type of death. There are only five manners: Accidental, Homicide, Suicide, Natural and Undetermined. I concurrently have a moral responsibility to the families of those who pass on and must find ways to help find closure and a footing that best allows a family member to discover peace. This is one reason why coroners are considered “Conservators of the Peace” (55 ILCS 5/3-3007). As a conservator of the peace, I believe that I have a moral responsibility to help find ways to reduce forms of death that are possible to prevent. A very preventable death which is vital to address, is a death caused by Opioid addiction.

As a deputy sheriff, I saw the crime that occurred in conjunction with addiction. As a Coroner, I have experienced and handled the carnage the opioid epidemic has generated. Over the last 5 years, Kane County has had over a 200% increase in opioid deaths. In actual numbers, from 2014 to 2018, 224 lives have been lost. More people have perished in opioid overdoses than car crashes and falls combined. The destruction of these deaths is not limited to those who lose his/her life, which in and of itself is a tragedy. This destruction also affects their families, friends and communities in a devastating way.

Because of the explosion of numbers in the amount of opioid death, I decided to research beyond conventional ideas in hopes of thwarting those deaths, as our conventional means alone did not appear to be working.

While researching all methods, reasons and programs, I discovered a common thread from the research: Treatment by trained professionals, coupled with Harm Reduction strategies, are vital in creating successful outcomes of addiction.

Over the next few weeks, I will outline what has been done, what we are currently doing and what we are in the process of doing. I have been saying this for several years now and our focus has been sharpened on this concept: Collaboration is the key. There are many exciting things that are currently happening to help thwart the epidemic and the implementation is occurring through collaborative efforts. The Sheriff, State’s Attorney and I (the Coroner), as well as many other agencies and organizations, are on the same page and working closely together in this fight. My hope is that these focused collaborative efforts will greatly diminish the amount of people in my morgue.

Renz Addiction Counseling Center offers a continuum of care dedicated to the prevention, intervention and treatment of addictive behaviors related to alcohol, drugs and gambling. Our certified substance use disorder counselors have the experience and dedication to help adults and adolescents begin their recovery journey through: Outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment services

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DUI Services

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Passage Program for Women, including free childcare

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Problem and compulsive gambling program

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Medication-Assisted Treatment

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Positive Waves using alpha-stim to help alleviate anxiety, depression, insomnia and pain often associated with addiction

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Opioid Overdose Prevention Education – two Narcan kits are given out at the program’s conclusion

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SMART Recovery

Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Elgin is a community coalition aimed at preventing youth alcohol and substance use. The coalition is also working to prevent the opioid use disorders and prevent overdose. Interested in being on the coalition, contact Gil Feliciano at gfeliciano@renzcenter. org .

For more information, visit RenzCenter.org, CSHElgin.org or call (847) 742-3545.

• Opioid Prevention Trainings • Alternative Drug Free Activities for Youth • Community Education & Awareness

CSHELGIN.ORG

Alison Jane Flory 12/30/1991 – 10/14/2016 Sugar Grove, IL Gone too soon but forever in our hearts.

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847-742-3545 x1 Elgin • St. Charles RENZCENTER.ORG

AFFORDABLE COUNSELING FOR ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

Point to Point is a harm reduction program committed to providing people who use drugs the resources they need to make any positive change in their life. We believe in empowering injection drug users to care about their wellbeing by offering the tools they need to inject safer.

We offer fentanyl testing strips so they can know what their using, and Narcan so that they can prevent fatal overdose. Participants are met with compassion above all else, and never looked at with judgment or stigma.

We believe that all drug users deserve to be treated with dignity and hope they learn to love themselves a bit more because of our services.

Compassion saves lives. Love saves lives. Harm reduction saves lives.

All services are free and confidential. Call or text 630.492.1454 for delivery information or visit our popup exchange sites. Saturdays 12 to 3 at 719 S. Batavia Ave, Geneva and Sundays 10 to 12 at 157 S Lincoln Ave, Aurora. For more information, visit www.point2pointkane.com

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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Medicine Abuse: What’s Happening & Why Medicine abuse is a national epidemic.

More Americans are abusing prescription medicine than ever, and like other types of drug use, problematic behavior often begins during the teen and young adult years. In addition to the well-known opioid epidemic, the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs like benzodiazepines, stimulants, barbiturates and DXM are having an adverse effect in communities across the nation.

Used as prescribed or directed, medicines improve our lives. When misused and abused, the consequences can be devastating, particularly among teens.

1 in 4 teens reports having misused or abused a prescription drug at least once in their lifetime. 1 Our society has become familiar — and comfortable — with the common use of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. As new medicines for alleviating symptoms come to market, they are heavily promoted with their images advertised in newspapers, magazines, on television and the internet, raising our understanding of the conditions they treat. As a result, our young people have grown up associating medicine with solving problems — and have a heightened awareness of the positive effects of Rx and OTC medicines.

Two-thirds (66 percent) of teens who report abuse of prescription pain relievers are getting them from friends, family and acquaintances. 2 Please dispose of your medicines properly or drop them off at one of these facilities:

Please do not flush your medicines down the toilet.

Drop-off Locations: •Aurora - Walgreens Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, or inhalers.

1221 N Lake St., Aurora, IL 60123 / 630-264-6269 Hours: 7 days, 24 hours •Batavia Police Department (City of Batavia Residents ONLY) 100 N Island, Batavia, IL 60510 / 630-454-2500 Hours: 7 days, 24 hours •East Dundee, Dundee Township Supervisor’s Office Note: This office WILL take inhalers 611 E. Main Street, Suite 201, East Dundee, IL 60118 847-428-8092, ext. 4; Hours: M-F 9am-5:30pm •Elgin Police Department (City of Elgin Residents ONLY) Note: Only Pills, capsules, and tablets received at this location 151 Douglas Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 / 847-289-2500 Hours: 7 days, 24 hours •Elgin - Walgreens Note: No syringes, liquids, or inhalers.

1700 Larkin Ave., Elgin, IL 60123 / 847-695-1158 Hours: 7 days, 24 hours •Geneva Police Department (City of Geneva Residents ONLY) Note: No syringes/needles 20 Police Plaza, Geneva, IL 60134 / 630-232-4736

Hours: 7 days, 24 hours •Geneva, Kane County Coroner’s Office Note: This office WILL take syringes/needles Government Center, 719 Batavia Ave. Geneva, IL 60134 630-232-3535; Hours: M-F 8:30am-4:30pm •Huntley Police Department Note: Only Pills, capsules, and tablets received at this location 10911 E. Main Street, Huntley, IL 60142 / 847-515-5311 Hours: M-F 8am-5pm (excluding holidays) •Montgomery - Walgreens Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, or inhalers.

1799 Douglas Rd., Montgomery, IL 60538 / 630-896-6960 Hours: 7 days, 24 hours •Naperville Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off 156 Fort Hill Drive, Naperville, IL 60540 / 630-420-6095 Hours: Sat & Sun 9-2pm (except holidays) •Naperville - Walgreens Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, or inhalers.

63 W 87th St., Naperville, IL 60565 / 630-778-7645 Hours: 7 days, 24 hours •Oswego Fox Metro Office 682 Rt 31, Oswego, IL 60543 / 630-892-4378 Hours: M-F 8am-4:30pm •Pingree Grove Police Department Note: No syringes/needles 1 Police Plaza, Pingree Grove, IL 60140 / 847-464-4600 Hours: M-F 7:30am-2:30pm •South Elgin Police Department (Village of South Elgin Residents ONLY); Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, medical marijuana or illicit drugs. See here for full list of accepted (and not accepted) items.

10 N. Water Street, South Elgin, IL 60177 / 847-741-2151 Hours: M-F 8:30am-5pm •St. Charles, Kane County Sheriff’s Office 37W755 Il Route 38 # A, St. Charles, IL 60175 / 630-232-6840 Hours: M-F 8:30am-5pm •St. Charles Police Department (City of St. Charles Residents ONLY) Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, inhalers. Keep pills in bottles for this location only.

211 N Riverside Ave., St Charles, IL 60174 / 630-377-4435 Hours: M-F 8am-10pm; Sat 8am-5pm; Sun closed •St. Charles -Walgreens 3351 W Main St, St Charles, IL 60175 (630) 443-8735 Hours: Sun.-Mon. 7am-10pm •Sugar Grove Police Department Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, inhalers.

10 S Municipal Dr., Sugar Grove, IL 60554 / 630-466-4526 Hours: M-F 7am-4:30pm

(Source: Drugfree.org) (Source: Kane County Recyles, countyofkane.org

In Opioid Battle, Schools Are on the Front Line

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Asking for help is a sign of strength and self-awareness!

In 2016, I lost my oldest daughter, Alison, to an accidental drug overdose at the age of 24. Since her death, I have been committed to helping others who have a loved one struggling with addiction (or are struggling themselves) by providing them with resources and support.

Alison Cares Foundation is a 501(c)3 dedicated to overdose and suicide awareness. It is our mission to be a voice for those unable to advocate on their own behalf due to a mental health or substance use disorder, to provide resources & support for families and their loved ones, and to educate families on prevention and coping skills.

Support groups - online and offline -- are available to bring help, hope, and healing to families and communities affected by substance use disorder. Our goal is to provide a safe, supportive, and judgement-free environment where people can share their struggles and learn to focus on positive changes for their own recovery Please reach out if you need help.

Alison Cares Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to overdose and suicide awareness. It is our mission to be a voice for those unable to advocate on their own behalf due to a mental health or substance use disorder, to provide resources & support for families and their loved ones, and to educate families on prevention and coping skills.

Addiction & Mental Health Resources Overdose & Suicide Prevention – Youth & Community Education

Jennifer Flory / Advocate for Change / Founder 630-381-1350 – call or text / confidential Facebook advocacy page: @justamomwhocares Facebook nonprofit page: @alisoncaresfoundation

Call 630-538-2955 help@jenniferflory.com http://www.jenniferflory.com SM-CL1642550

TO G ET H E R , WE A RE ST RO N G E R .

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

Schools are on the front lines of opioid awareness, given that the structure of the school day can make drug problems stand out before they would at home.

An injured athlete can also inadvertently become a drug dealer if he sells his prescribed oxycodone pills to classmates for $25 apiece.

Which is why the U.S. Department of Education urges schools to take steps to combat the opioid epidemic, with steps like educating students about the dangers of drug use, and delivering evidenced-based prevention programs. But those efforts vary from one district to another, and hinge on funding.

“There are schools that could do better in this area, and a lot of it has to do with resources,” says Jessica Wong of Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. “Schools are struggling for a lot of competing resources, and unfortunately a lot times the resources that get cut are those are drug and alcohol support services.”

Outside programs help bridge the gap. Dr. Erin McKnight of Nationwide Children’s Hospital is creating an “opioid safety toolkit” for school systems in Ohio. The DEA partnered with Discovery on a national awareness campaign called Operation Prevention. RAND Corp. developed a middle school curriculum on drug prevention.

The onus, though, still falls on the schools. Even coaches and athletic trainers, working with injured athletes who may be prescribed opioids, need to be educated. “It’s important for schools to definitely start being partners in this prevention effort,” McKnight says, “and taking action when they do see an issue.” © CTW Features

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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Co-occurring substance use and mental illness is a community issue

By Jim Scarpace, MS, LCPC Executive Director, Gateway Foundation Aurora vjscarpa@gatewayfoundation.org Nearly 40 percent of people with substance use disorders also experience mental health

conditions, according to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). That means nearly 16,000 adults in Kane County alone have co-occurring conditions.

As executive director of Gateway Foundation Aurora, I have seen thousands of these community members actively seeking help over the years. However, a surgeon general report indicates that only 10 percent of the people with co-occurring disorders in Kane County will actually get treatment. As community treatment providers, it’s on us to educate the community about these issues and increase this number.

Over the last 25-plus years in the field, I have worked with children, families and neighborhoods that were torn apart by addiction and mental illness. In the hospital setting, I worked with

adults struggling with severe mental health concerns. In the community, I served as a therapist for adolescents with mental health disorders and coordinated a residential facility for high-risk children and adolescents involved with the Department of Children and Family Services. I have also worked with children, families and neighborhoods that were saved – and transformed – by treatment. Again and again, one practice has proved successful: treating cooccurring mental health disorders at the same time.

While many providers claim to serve populations with co-occurring disorders, few can oversee quality care for both illnesses at the same time, especially for more serious cases. Our clinical and medical staff at Gateway

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prescriptions they may already be taking.

Families and others who want to support those with co-occurring disorders can also reduce the risk of relapse for people in recovery. By avoiding negative labels like “junkie” and “addict,” by talking about mental illness and substance use disorders as what they are: medical conditions.

Families especially can help loved ones accept their illness and seek treatment, though these conversations can be intimidating. Above all, remember that no one can stop someone else’s substance use. We can only encourage the people we know and love to get help.

Whether it’s a parent, child, cousin or friend, always try to talk to them about the problem first.

Before diving into a conversation, plan what you would like to say. Be sure to express from the start that your concerns are coming from a place of love and support. During the conversation, as difficult as it may be, listen to what they have to say, too, and keep an open mind.

Co-occurring substance use and mental illness is not only a national issue, it’s our community’s issue. It’s on all of us to decrease stigma and increase access to treatment for our friends and neighbors. But there’s hope, there’s help – there’s treatment.

If you have questions about substance use

and mental illness and treatment, call Gateway Foundation today at 877.505.4673 or visit GatewayFoundation.org. Gateway Foundation offers free assessments as well as resources to help educate communities and families on substance use and can collaborate with you or your organization to provide speakers and resources for workshops or events.

For fact checking: Kane County population numbers 2017 US Census Bureau population data 395,654 (total county pop 18 and older) x .10 (est. percent of people in US with substance use disorder) x .40 (est. percent of people with substance use disorder who also have mental illness) DDE and Dartmouth index - http://www. easacommunity.org/PDF/ddcmht_toolkit.pdf 1 in 10 people / 10 percent actually seek treatment, 2016 surgeon general report: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/us/ substance-abuse-surgeon-general-report. html

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

Foundation Aurora specializes in treating cooccurring disorders, also called dual diagnoses, and has the expertise and capacity to treat severe mental illnesses: we were the first organization in Illinois to achieve Dual-Diagnosis Enhanced Certification, a benchmark developed by Dartmouth Medical School to measure acute cooccurring treatment.

At Gateway Foundation we primarily see patients with co-occurring substance use disorders and anxiety or depression, but substance abuse can coincide with a number of mental illnesses. Whatever the issue may be, our teams work with every patient to determine and treat the underlying causes of their addiction and to create a personalized recovery plan. Because no treatment works the same for everyone.

People coping with more than one illness also face a higher risk of relapse because they are dealing with more than one issue. To reduce this risk, some treatment centers practice medicationassisted treatment, or MAT, an evidencebased solution to diminish painful withdrawal symptoms and cravings as well as effects of other co-occurring mental illnesses. At Gateway Foundation Aurora, medical experts assess every admitted patient to determine whether MAT is the best fit for their plan with any other

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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Sugar Grove resident works to bring addiction awareness to Kaneland families

By Aimee Barrows

center that seemed to be helping Alison beat her In the last month, Sugar Grove resident Jennifer addictions.

Flory has helped four people in her neighborhood “I went to visit her in get treatment for heroin addiction.

August of 2016, and I was Flory, who lost her daughter Alison in 2016 so proud of her,” Flory to an accidental drug overdose, has made it recalled. “She looked better her mission to educate families in Kane County and just seemed better. We about the scourge of addiction, which she says is were best friends again. We everywhere, including Sugar Grove and Elburn. had an amazing experience.

“I’m trying to demystify the process of finding But right after I left, she met good treatment centers,” she explains. “I’m trying a boy who wanted her to go to de-stigmatize addiction and mental health to another treatment center disorders. Addiction is a mental health disorder. with him.”

The drugs are just a symptom of deep-rooted It was a sober house, issues that people haven’t dealt with.” where the patients weren’t Flory’s daughter started experimenting with as closely monitored, Flory marijuana as an eighth-grader at Kaneland Middle said.

School before starting to use ecstasy with friends.

However, Alison became Flory said when Alison was a sophomore at the house manager, and Kaneland High School, she broke up with a helped run the house and troubled boyfriend who committed suicide the day act as a mentor to other after.

“That’s when the addiction started. She told me she felt euphoria when using the pills, that she no longer felt sadness,” Flory explained. “The kids at school told her it was her fault [that her boyfriend committed suicide]. After that, she never felt accepted at school and she said she felt different.

The only way she felt accepted was when she drank and used drugs.”

After graduation, Flory says that Alison went to Columbia College in Chicago, where she was paired with a roommate who was a drug dealer.

She only became aware that Alison was still using drugs when her daughter called her and told her she wasn’t feeling well.

A visit to the emergency room showed that Alison was in drug-related kidney failure. Luckily, Alison pulled through and decided to leave Columbia to return home. patients. She seemed to being doing well, so Flory Once back in Sugar Grove, Flory said that Alison says it came as a shock when Alison’s boyfriend got involved with another group of friends who called on the morning of Oct. 14, 2016 to tell her were also using drugs. that her daughter hadn’t woken up.

Flory recognized that Alison was using and took “Apparently she, her boyfriend and another girl her to an intervention specialist, where Alison had been using drugs in the sober house,” Flory admitted to her drug use and decided she wanted explains. “The hospital didn’t even call me. I had to get healthy. to call the medical examiner’s office to find out she Flory said Alison left for Florida shortly after to died. Her toxicology report showed that she had attend a treatment center. cocaine and carfentanil in her system. She had a Once there, she bounced around between weak moment with other people who wanted to several rehab facilities, before landing at one use. It was offered to her, and she did it.”

Alison was 24 years old and was getting ready to leave rehab for good and return to normal life in Sugar Grove that Thanksgiving.

“I felt like I had failed her,” Flory says. “I wanted to protect her. It was 100 percent a lack of awareness of what addiction was and what recovery was, and how it was going to be a lifelong process her. There were red flags that I didn’t know to look for.”

Flory is determined to make sure other parents know the signs, and know how to find help for an addicted child or family member.

She recently began a support group for families in the Kaneland school district who are dealing with addiction issues and is actively involved in the Kaneland Coalition for Healthy Youth, which is a drug and alcohol prevention program.

“By sharing my daughter’s story, other people have come forward with their experiences,” she says. “I can be a resource for people by listening to them and finding them help. This is a big problem in Kane County. People want to talk about it, and I’m willing to talk about it.

There’s nothing to hide or be ashamed of. Help is available.”

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Need to continue to fight

You can join Chris Walk Against Substance Abuse in our battle against the epidemic. We are presently mentoring at the Kane County Adult Justice Center sharing God’s love and helping the detainees to break this cycle of addiction. Email us at lvinvest@comcast.net for more information.

The Board of Directors of Chris Walk Against Substance Abuse

A 501c3 formed in 2012 after the death of Christopher Foley to a heroin overdose in St. Charles, IL Mission Statement: To advocate and be a support for those addicted and their families who are experiencing substance abuse issues.

• Dunham Fund Grant recipients

• Mentoring at Kane County

• Bob Barker Grant recipients

Adult Justice Center,

• Speakers at various venues

Logan Correctional Center,

• Straight Talk About Drugs

Illinois Youth Center,

forum, Batavia

book distribution at

• Chris Walk Night Out Against

Stateville Penitentiary

Substance Abuse

•Financial supporters of other non-profit agencies

Against Substance Abuse

If you’d like to be a part of our team or have a special need that we might be able to help with, please contact Vicki Foley at 630-802-1868 www.chriswalk.net

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

Chris Walk Against Substance Abuse (501c3) was founded in 2007 after the Heroin overdose of Christopher Foley in St. Charles. This young, handsome, 27 year old father battled his addiction since his high school years before finally losing his life to it. Back then no one wanted to admit we were in the midst of a drug crisis, soon to become an epidemic. For several years after, the Foley family, along with people like Lea Minalga from Hearts of Hope attempted to support grieving families and to spread the word that we were losing our children to addiction. Now 12 years later we are in the midst of a full-blown crisis. According to statistics published by the Coroner’s Office deaths due to opioids continue to increase. In 2015 there were 21 deaths in Kane County, 2017 recorded 67 deaths and in 2018 there are 58 confirmed with 14 cases pending. Similar statistics are being seen across the other counties in Illinois. Awareness has increased, more recovery resources are available and even programs to give out the overdose antidote, called naloxone or Narcan. These initiatives have saved countless lives. The strength of opioids keeps increasing though, as drugs like Fentanyl come onto the scene; an opioid 50 times more powerful than heroin. Now is not the time to let our guard down. We need to continue to provide resources, funding and support to keep these drugs out of our community, and to work with those addicted and their families to provide treatment and support.

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

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The following is a list of many of the services available in this area. This is not representative of all services and should not necessarily be considered as a recommendation by Shaw Media 360 Youth Services - Transitional Housing Program 1305 West Oswego Rd., Naperville, IL 60540 (630) 961-2992 Substance Use Disorder Education/ Prevention, General Counseling Services, Children’s/Adolescent Residential Treatment Facilities, Transitional Housing/Shelter Administer Justice 1750 Grandstand Pl., Suite 15, Elgin, IL 60123 (847) 844-1100 Pro Bono Legal Aid Volunteer Opportunities, General Legal Aid, Tax Preparation Assistance Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital & Center for Addiction Medicine 1650 Moonlake Blvd., Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 (800) 432-5005 Inpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities, Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, DUI Offender Programs, General Mental Health Information/Education, Psychiatric Services, Outpatient Mental Health Facilities, Psychiatric Hospitals Alison Cares Foundation (630) 381-1350 (text or call) Addiction and Mental Health Resources, Overdose and Suicide Prevention, Youth and Community Education Association for Individual Development (AID) - Behavioral Health Services 1230 North Highland Ave.,Aurora, IL 60506 (630) 859-1291 Outreach Programs, Substance Use Disorder Counseling, Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Psychiatric Case Management, Health/ Disability Related Counseling, Outpatient Mental Health Facilities Barrington Youth & Family Services 110 South Hager Ave.,Barrington, IL 60010 (847) 381-0345 Outreach Programs, Substance Use Disorder Counseling, Sexual Assault Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Adolescent/Youth Counseling, General Counseling Services, Addictions/Substance Use Disorder Support Groups, Life Coaching, Diversion Programs Behavioral Services Center 188 Industrial Dr., Ste 100, Elmhurst, IL 60126 (847) 673-8577 Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs, DUI Offender Programs, Psychiatric Medication Monitoring Breaking Free, Inc. 120 Gale St., Aurora, IL 60506 (630) 897-1003 Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Substance Use Disorder Education/Prevention, DUI Offender Programs,

RESOURCE GUIDE

Care Addiction Center 1250 Executive Pl #301, Geneva, IL 60134 (630) 402-0144 Care Addiction Center provides compassionate, confidential & professional treatment for adults suffering from alcohol & substance abuse.

Christ Community Church - Community Programs 37W100 Bolcom Rd., St. Charles, IL 60175 (630) 485-3300 Outreach Programs, Volunteer Mobilization Events

Conley Outreach Community Services PO Box 931, Elburn, IL 60119 (630) 365-2880 Outreach Programs, Bereavement Counseling, Peer Counseling, Parent Support Groups, Bereavement Support Groups Ecker Center for Mental Health 1845 Grandstand Pl., Elgin, IL 60123 (847) 695-0484 Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Clinical Psychiatric Evaluation, Psychiatric Disorder Counseling, Outpatient Mental Health Facilities, Supportive Housing Families Anonymous, Inc. 701 Lee St. Ste 670, Des Plaines, IL 60016 (847) 294-5877 Families/Friends of Individuals With a Drug Use Disorder Support Groups, Families/ Friends of Individuals With an Alcohol Use Disorder Support Groups Family Guidance Center 751 Aurora Ave., Aurora, IL 60505 (630) 801-0017 Medication Assisted Maintenance Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders, Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Drug Use Disorder Education/ Prevention, Inpatient Drug Detoxification First Baptist Counseling Services 1735 West Highland Ave.,Elgin, IL 60123 (847) 695-8710 General Counseling Services, Faith Based Counseling Gateway Foundation 400 Mercy Ln., Aurora, IL 60506 (877) 505-4673 Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities, Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, DUI Offender Programs, General Counseling Services Hearts of Hope 65 North River Ln., Geneva, IL 60134 (630) 327-9937 Specialized Information and Referral, Relapse Prevention Programs, Families/Friends of Individuals With a Drug Use Disorder Support Groups, Families/Friends of Individuals With an Alcohol Use Disorder Support Groups, Addictions/Substance Use Disorder Support Groups

Hope for Tomorrow, Inc. 479 North Lake St.,Aurora, IL 60506 (866) 301-4673 Recovery Homes/Halfway Houses, Residences for People With Chronic Substance Use Disorders, Relapse Prevention Programs, Substance Use Disorder Counseling, Gambling Addiction Counseling/Treatment Latino Treatment Center 54 South Grove Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 (847) 695-9155 Substance Use Disorder Counseling, DUI Offender Programs, General Assessment for Substance Use Disorders Leyden Family Service & Mental Health Center - Substance Abuse Programs 10001 Grand Ave. Franklin Park, IL 60131 (847) 451-0330 Relapse Prevention Programs, Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities, Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, DUI Offender Programs, Inpatient Drug Detoxification, Gambling Addiction Counseling/Treatment, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services, Gambling Self Exclusion Programs Lighthouse Recovery 210 South 5th St., Ste 10, St. Charles, IL 60174 630-940-2468 Lighthouse Recovery is an outpatient substance abuse treatment program specifically designed to facilitate the changes needed for lasting recovery.

Linden Oaks Behavioral Health at Edward Hospital 852 South West St., Naperville, IL 60540 (630) 305-5027 Inpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities, Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Addiction Psychiatry, Depression Screening, Psychiatric Inpatient Units Lutheran Social Services of Illinois Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Services - Elgin 675 Varsity Dr., Elgin, IL 60120 (847) 741-2600 Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Addictions/Substance Use Disorder Support Groups Normandy House Sober Living Des Plaines, IL 60017 847-227-0520 Normandy House Sober Living offers a nuturing home environment. Early recovery is a time to focus on creating a new life, a time to build skills to prevent relapse Prairie State Legal Services - Kane, DeKalb & Kendall Counties; Fox Valley Office 1024 West Main St., Saint Charles, IL 60174 (630) 232-9415 Pro Bono Legal Aid Volunteer Opportunities, General Legal Aid

Presence Mercy Medical Center - Aurora 1325 North Highland Ave., Aurora, IL 60506 (630) 859-2222 Medical Libraries, Inpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities, Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Outpatient Mental Health Facilities, Inpatient Mental Health Facilities, Mental Health Related Support Groups, Health/Disability Related Support Groups, Addictions/Substance Use Disorder Support Groups, Support Groups, Wellness Programs Renz Addiction Counseling Center Substance Abuse Counseling Two American Way; Elgin Outpatient Office Elgin, IL 60120; (847) 742-3545 Perinatal Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, DUI Offender Programs, Gambling Addiction Counseling/Treatment, Employee Assistance Programs Rosecrance Health Network 1021 North Mulford Road Corp. Office - Rockford, IL 61107 (888) 928-5278 Mental Health Assessment and Treatment, Crisis Residential Treatment, Mental Health Evaluation, Forensic Mental Health Evaluation, Mental Health Screening, Detoxification, Alcohol Use Disorder Education/Prevention, Drug Use Disorder Education/Prevention, Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Inpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities, Recovery Homes/Halfway Houses Serenity House 891 S. Rohlwing Rd., Addison, IL 60101 630-620-6616 Extended residential. Outpatient, DUI services, HIV program SHARE Program 1776 Moon Lake Blvd., Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 (847) 882-4181 Supportive Substance Use Disorder Services, Detoxification, Gambling Addiction Counseling/Treatment Spring Hill Counseling Services 600 Spring Hill Ring Rd., Ste 106, Dundee, IL 60118 (630) 202-3610 Addiction Psychiatry, Depression Screening, Anxiety Disorders Screening, Bereavement Counseling, Anger Management, Social Development Tools for Life 35 South Stolp Avenue, Aurora, IL 60506 (630) 906-1200 Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Substance Use Disorder Education/Prevention, DUI Offender Programs, Drug/Alcohol Testing Wayside Cross Ministries, Inc. 215 East New York Street Aurora, IL 60505 (630) 892-4239 Faith -based 6-month residential for males & females

The Case for Compassion

“Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.” - Thomas Merton Many of us have family or friends struggling with diabetes, hypertension, or asthma. Some suffer from cancer, perhaps caused by years of poor diet or smoking. Their doctors establish a treatment regimen, but our loved ones struggle to adhere to the plan, and in some instances, fail to comply with recommendations to keep them healthy. Unfortunately, this is common: as many as 40-50% of medical patients with any type of complex disease management fail to adhere to treatment recommendations.

Nonadherence to recommendations carries a huge economic burden, and in the US alone, related hospitalization costs are estimated at $13.35 billion annually. This contributes to worsening health outcomes, and as many as 125,000 preventable deaths per year.

Would you give up on these individuals if they struggle with their treatment plan? Would a patient’s medical team discharge their patients due to noncompliance?

Replace any of those illnesses with the disease of addiction. Your loved one is struggling with alcoholism, heroin addiction, or prescription pill addiction. Would you treat them differently? Would their need for care depend on how their addiction developed in the first place? Should we ignore the wisdom and compassion of Thomas Merton, and only help some, while ignoring others?

Some might see this as an irrational comparison. However, as with illnesses like hypertension or diabetes, addiction is a disease with physiological and behavioral components affecting onset and a patient’s successful recovery.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, these illnesses have the same, or greater, “relapse” rates as addiction.

For nearly seventy years, the American Medical Association has classified alcoholism as an “illness,” and in 1987, classified addiction as a “disease.”

These steps, though important, have still not done enough to change our community’s perception of who an addicted person is, how their lives became unmanageable, and how compassionate care is just as important for them as for your loved one who suffers from diabetes or hypertension.

Compassionate treatment of people with addiction should be the rule, not the exception. It requires continued care, repeated treatment attempts, and adjustments to treatment plans. It requires us to understand that setbacks and relapses may occur, and that we should continue to love and support these individuals, who are often at the lowest point in their lives.

Compassionate care requires access to medication assisted treatment

(“MAT”) for all individuals who wish to explore that as an option, and harm reduction services for those who are not yet ready for treatment.

Local organizations like Point to Point, founded by Lyndsay Hartman, have employed harm reduction strategies to benefit our community by providing access to clean needles, fentanyl testing strips, and free Narcan.

Compassionate care also requires that we not judge those receiving harm reduction services, and that we recognize these methods for their undisputed value in saving lives, reducing crime, and preventing disease.

Without question, compassionate care requires treatment for both the insured and the uninsured. Unfortunately, in certain parts of this country, addiction treatment has become a predatory and financially lucrative business that only focuses on ‘optimal payers’ or fully insured clients.

We, as treatment providers, must do better to force change in our own industry and increase access to care for state-sponsored insurance clients, uninsured clients, and the homeless. We have our heads buried firmly up our pocketbooks if we believe that only providing treatment to the insured population will even come close to addressing the urgent needs of this current national crisis.

Most importantly, compassion requires our introspection. We must look inside ourselves and change the way we think, and talk, and feel, about addiction. We need Thomas Merton’s wisdom now more than ever. Our business is to care, treat without discrimination or judgement, and to love. Only then can we work together, compassionately, to help our struggling brothers and sisters - no matter their illness.

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

♥♥

Nate Lanthrum, CADC Clinical Director, Lighthouse Recovery

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OPIOID AWARENESS |

OPIOID AWARENESS

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, March 28, 2019

| OPIOID AWARENESS

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SERVICES PROVIDED

• Early Intervention and Risk Education • Intensive Outpatient • Outpatient • Medication Assisted Treatment • Individual and Family Therapy • DUI Services (Evaluations, Risk Education and Counseling) • Secretary of State Evaluations Using evidence based practices, Lighthouse Recovery offers a path to wellness for the prevention of and recovery from substance use and related issues for individuals and families in our community.

Lighthouse Recovery is licensed by the State of Illinois, Department off H Human SServices, i Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery

210 S. 5th Street, Suite 10 St. Charles, IL 60174 Lighthouse Recovery, Inc. has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval

Please call to schedule a free initial consultation Pl i SM-CL1635048

(630) 940-2468 • lighthouserecoveryinc.com