10 | September 14, 2017 | The New Lenox Patriot News newlenoxpatriot.com Rhythm of fall New Lenox-area marching bands take the streets at Frankfort Fall Festival LEFT: The Lincoln- Way Marching Band’s percussion section performs Sept. 3 during the Frankfort Fall Festival in downtown Frankfort. Photos by Julie McMann/22nd Century Media Liberty Jr. High’s marching band performs as part of the parade. Martino Jr. High’s band also performed that day. Providence Catholic’s brass section makes its way down the streets in downtown Frankfort. *Pending DCFS Application Approval. The Goddard Schools are operated by independent franchisees under a license agreement with Goddard Systems, Inc. Programs and ages may vary. Goddard Systems, Inc. program is AdvancED accredited. © Goddard Systems, Inc. 2017
newlenoxpatriot.com News the New Lenox Patriot | September 14, 2017 | 11 County officials talk substance abuse issues in the area Jonathan Samples Freelance Reporter Since 2013, more than 500 people in Will County have died from either suicide or by overdosing on opioid drugs like heroin or prescription pain killers. Sadly, few people are talking about it. That was the message during an informational event at the Homer Township Public Library on Aug. 31. The program, sponsored by the Will County Board, the health department and the Will County Executive Office, was held on International Overdose Awareness Day. The irony, however, is that many in the county remain unaware of a rising number of deaths from opioid overdose or suicide in their own neighborhoods, and officials say that needs to change. “We’re doing a lot of these kinds of events around the county, because I personally feel that we’ve got to get rid of the stigma,” Will County Board member Mike Fricilone said. “The problem with these kinds of events is that people around here don’t want to admit we have a problem.” Fricilone and another District 7 board member, Steve Balich, sponsored Thursday’s program, which is part of a community conversation series aimed at gathering feedback from residents about where the county should focus resources and initiatives designed to prevent these tragic deaths. “We’re trying to dig down and find out what’s really going on at the street level so that we can bring resources into the communities that need them most,” said Kathleen Burke, director of substance-use initiatives in the Office of the Will County Executive. “We want to save lives, and we want to see people get better.” Burke, who was hired Opioid Deaths in Will County 2017 44 2016 87* 2015 53 2014 35 2013 38 *Up more than 40 percent over previous year Suicides in Will County 2016 79 2015 58 2014 49 2013 68 2012 65 in February to educate the community about preventing opioid overdose deaths, said Will County has a lack of behavioral health resources for people struggling with addiction. She hopes events like this will help identify where there are gaps in both resources and residents’ understanding of the county’s opioid epidemic. “We want to keep people informed and help them raise their children in a safe environment, help those young adults who are struggling, and then build the resources within their own community to assist people when they need it,” she said. Homer Glen is one of several communities in Will County that have seen a higher rate of deaths from opioid overdose in recent years. Those numbers have since come down in Homer Glen, but Burke said there’s still more work to be done. “We want to acknowledge that the community has struggled in the past but is on a positive trajectory,” she said. “But that can diminish if there’s not enough conversation and communication. Kathleen Burke, director of substance use initiatives for Will County, presents information on opioid use during a community conversation event at Homer Township Public Library on Aug. 31. Jonathan Samples/22nd Century Media If we start putting our heads in the sand, we’ll end up in the same place.” As part of her job, Burke oversees a number of initiatives designed to halt the spread of opioid use in Will County. That includes training staffs at area social service agencies, as well as other individuals who are likely to be contact with active opioid users, on how to administer naloxone – a medication designed to reverse an opioid overdose. So far, Burke’s efforts are showing promising results. “A comparison of last year and this year for six months shows our numbers are a little down, as far as deaths go, because our naloxone usage is up,” she said. “Whether that correlates, I don’t know; but the research shows that the more naloxone you have in a community the less likely you’re going to have overdose deaths.” In 2016, 87 people in Will County died as a result of an opioid overdose, with naloxone being used 11 times to successfully reverse an overdose. Through Aug. 31, the Will County Coroner reports 44 opioid overdose deaths in 2017. And while the number of people dying from an opioid overdose appears to be decreasing, successful administration of naloxone is on the rise. Burke said naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, has already been used 23 times in 2017. Without the antidote, those individuals would likely have died. Additionally, Burke is working to ensure that people with opioid-use disorder have resources in place for treatment and recovery. “When you save somebody with Narcan, you want to have them to go immediately into treatment; otherwise, you know that in most cases they’re going to go back to using,” she said. “Without treatment, you’re really not doing anything for long-term change.” Burke added that treatment is just one part of maintaining sobriety. After treatment, individuals typically need to engage in some form of outpatient therapy and various support groups. They also need stable housing, a job and a network of additional resources to be able to maintain their recovery. “The goal is that in Will County we have a comprehensive support system for people who are struggling with substance-use disorder,” Burke said. A major component of that support system is behavioral and mental health services. During Thursday’s program, Burke was joined by Scott Dubois, who is the behavioral health coordinator at the Will County Health Department. He said there are some similarities between people who die from drug overdose and those who die from suicide, such as mental illness, past trauma and negative stigma. “We want to reduce stigma for mental illness and other substance-use disorders,” Dubois said. Like Burke, he hopes these types of conversations will shed light on the high rates of suicide in Will County and make it easier for people experiencing suicidal thoughts to seek help. 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