SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois House Restorative Justice Committee unanimously approved a bill Thursday to provide naloxone to people leaving jails and prisons if they were incarcerated for drug-related charges or have a substance use disorder.
Sponsors say programs in correctional facilities that provide medications for opioid use disorders reduce the risk of fatal overdose by 80%. However, Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) said the state should provide adequate recovery services for people after they are released from jail or prison.
"Studies show that an overdose is the leading cause of death for people recently released," Slaughter said. "In the first two weeks after release, those formerly incarcerated individuals are more than 10 times more likely to have a fatal overdose than a non-incarcerated individual."
Related Links
- Louie's Law: Illinois overdose education standards bill signed by Pritzker
- Illinois laws expand access to overdose prevention tools, fentanyl awareness
- Illinois lawmakers hope several bills can address overdose crisis
Slaughter explained opioid education and naloxone distribution programs could be very effective to increase knowledge of signs of overdose and how to properly respond. He said the state could pay for this program by using funds from national opioid settlements and federal grants.
House Bill 5527 was placed on the calendar for second reading Thursday afternoon. Representatives could discuss the proposal again when lawmakers return to Springfield next week.
Copyright 2024. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
