(WAND) - The Illinois Department of Human Services announced the Chicago Skyline will be lit purple for National Recovery Month from September 8 through September 14.
Illinois residents are also encouraged to join over 13,000 IDHS staff and wear purple throughout the month to celebrate family and friends who are in recovery.
“IDHS is deeply committed to preventing overdose deaths and to helping people throughout their recovery journey. We recognize the many systemic inequities that have, too often, created barriers to treatment, recovery resources, and other social services,” said IDHS Secretary Grace B. Hou. “IDHS is actively working on reducing these barriers by breaking down silos and fostering collaboration across IDHS’ divisions and other State agencies to advance health equity for Illinois residents. We would also like to thank our community partners for hosting events this month, and the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago for lighting their buildings purple to raise awareness."
Trainings, speaking engagements, memorials, and online activities will be hosted by IDHS’ community partners during Recovery Month.
Over 126,000 people in Illinois have been trained to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose through organizations enrolled in IDHS’ Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery’s (SUPR’s) Drug Overdose Prevention Program (DOPP) and IDHS/SUPR’s newer Access Narcan project.
In State fiscal year 2022, alone, more than 3,212 overdose reversals were reported. IDHS funded treatment services for over 40,000 people.
IDHS is dedicated to making naloxone, the lifesaving opioid overdose reversal medication commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan, accessible.
Visit the National Recovery Month website to learn more.
If you or someone you know is suffering from a substance use disorder, contact the Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances by calling 1-833-2FINDHELP (1-833-234-6343), texting "HELP" to 833234, or visiting: www.helplineIL.org.
For crisis support, dial 9-8-8 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline anytime (24/7/365).
For recovery and wellness support, call the Illinois Warm Line at 866-359-7953, Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. This line provides phone-based wellness and recovery support for anyone in Illinois. It is staffed by people who identify as individuals in recovery and therefore provides a unique blend of self-directed, empowering support, with education that includes resource materials and contacts.
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