Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Substance Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Will County substance use program reports eight overdose deaths so far in 2025 and distributes hundreds of naloxone kits monthly
Summary
A Will County substance use program update reported eight overdose deaths in 2025 to date, roughly seven documented reversals, and monthly naloxone-kit distribution of approximately 500–600 boxes; county peer-recovery supports helped a client reinstate Social Security benefits and the program is expanding peer staff and community outreach
Connie DeWol, program manager for Will County’s substance use initiatives (filling in for Dr. Burke), told the committee that the county recorded eight overdose deaths in 2025 to date and had documented seven reversals. DeWol said the program distributes roughly 500–600 naloxone kits (boxes) per month across the county and maintains regular outreach at pantries, resource fairs and weekly Riverwalk distributions.
DeWol highlighted partnerships with Salvation Army, St. John, Judson Church and other community locations as key distribution points. She also described the program’s peer-recovery support specialist model and gave a case example: a peer-support specialist helped a client whose Social Security benefits were erroneously terminated after the client’s mother (the payee) died; the peer specialist and health department staff helped reinstate benefits.
DeWol said the program is hiring and expanding peer supports, and introduced a new counselor, John Moss, who joined from the Grundy County Health Department. She noted recent trainings and conferences attended by staff and emphasized collaboration with community coalitions. DeWol said the program participates in awareness events including Black Balloon Day and local resource fairs and that the team provided 62 naloxone boxes at a Mon— (Monee) event in March.
Committee members asked about data sources for overdose counts; DeWol said the coroner provides official data and that she would check how deaths routed to hospitals outside Will County (for example, DuPage County hospitals) are reflected in Will County statistics. DeWol said she will provide a month-by-month comparison to prior years in a subsequent report.
