Overdose Prevention Sites
The West Side of Chicago has a very high rate of opioid overdose deaths. Opioids are drugs that include heroin, prescription pain pills like Oxycontin and Vicodin, and synthetic medications like fentanyl. The Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Substance Use, Prevention and Recovery (IDHS/SUPR) and the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force are partnering together on a project that is looking at how an overdose prevention site or OPS on the West Side could decrease these overdoses and save lives. OPS are health services that let people use pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained staff, like a nurse. OPS give people a safe, clean place to use their drugs and staff can step in right away if an overdose happens. OPS can also connect people to medical care, drug treatment, housing, and other services.
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