$11.5 million is headed to Illinois to combat the opioid crisis. The money comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More than half will go toward increasing access to behavioral health treatment, with a focus on substance abuse.
In northern Illinois, that includes locations like Crusader Community Health in Rockford, Heartland Community Health Clinic in Peoria. Community Health and Emergency Services in Cairo will also receive some of the funding. Each of these agencies will receive $167,000.
Additional money will go toward rural health centers so that they can expand access to care and provided medication-assisted treatment. This is where drugs like methadone are used to help patients address their addictions.
Finally, federal dollars will also go toward training behavioral health care providers in substance abuse treatment.