Illinois Harm Reduction and Recovery Coalition

2 Days Remaining to file a Witness Slip in Support of HB2929! HB2929, which will authorize an overdose prevention site pilot in Chicago, is being heard in the Illinois House Mental Health & Addiction Committee next Thursday! ?? File a slip by March 12, 2025 at 11:59PM CST! File your slip by clicking the link in our comments! ————— ?? Why Support OPS? ?? ? Saves Lives: OPS facilities provide a safe space where individuals can use substances under medical supervision, reducing overdose deaths. There has NEVER been a death at an OPS globally. ? Connects People to Care: OPS' offer access to treatment, healthcare, and social services. ? Saves Money: OPS' save taxpayer dollars by reducing reliance on public safety. Every emergency response costs $30-40K, totaling more than $100 million in potential cost savings annually! ? Reduces Public Use and Litter: By providing a designated space, OPS facilities decrease drug use in public areas and reduce discarded drug use equipment. Take action now to show your support for harm reduction efforts in our community. Every slip matters! Let's save lives! #HarmReduction #IllinoisLegislation #SupportHB2929 #ActionAlert #OverdosePrevention #harmreductionsaveslives #publichealth #opioidcrisis

?? ACTION ALERT ?? HB2929, which will authorize an overdose prevention site pilot in Chicago, is being heard in the Illinois House Mental Health & Addiction Committee next Thursday! File a witness slip in support of HB2929: https://lnkd.in/gU7Cr26t Why Support OPS? ? Saves Lives: OPS facilities provide a safe space where individuals can use substances under medical supervision, reducing overdose deaths. There has NEVER been a death at an OPS globally. ? Connects People to Care: OPS' offer access to treatment, healthcare, and social services. ? Saves Money: OPS' save taxpayer dollars by reducing reliance on public safety. Every emergency response costs $30-40K, totaling more than $100 million in potential cost savings annually! ? Reduces Public Use and Litter: By providing a designated space, OPS facilities decrease drug use in public areas and reduce discarded drug use equipment. Take action now to show your support for harm reduction efforts in our community. Every slip matters! Let's save lives!

Tired of losing lives to overdose deaths? ?? Be part of the solution! The Advocacy Champions Training (ACT) will provide you with knowledge and resources to help your community! ?? ??? Join the End Overdose ACT Squad Training: March 6th, 7–8 PM ??Register using the link in our bio or at https://lnkd.in/g8RrHnaV #acttraining #harmreduction #policysolutions #ihrrc

The IHRRC is happy to announce Thresholds as a sponsor for our Advocacy Day event! ??????? Be sure to register for our Advocacy Day on April 8th, 2025 by clicking this link: https://tr.ee/zZN_nVe0g8 ! Be part of the change! ?????? #thresholds #sponsor #advocacyday2025 #ihrrc #harmreduction

?? CALLING ALL ADVOCATES! ?? The movement needs YOU! ?? Join us for Harm Reduction Week of Solidarity: Advocacy Day on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Springfield, IL! ????? ?? Raise your voice. Fight for change. Demand action. ?? This is YOUR chance to stand up for harm reduction, recovery, and policies that save lives. Together, we can make a difference—because every voice matters, and every life is worth fighting for. ?? ? Register now: https://lnkd.in/g_D8-tAW ?? Questions? Email us at [email protected] Let’s show up. Speak out. And make history. ??? #HarmReduction?#AdvocacyDay?#EndOverdose?#FightForChange?#PublicHealth?#WeWillNotBeSilent

Stand Up for Healthcare Services: Illinois' Medicaid Funding Is at Risk. Learn How to Advocate for Critical Resources by Speaking with Your Legislators Today! Read this article from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network for more information on how you can make a change and save Medicaid! #Medicaid #IllinoisMedicaid #ASAN

Throughout this month, we celebrate the legacy of African American history and those individuals who have paved the way for a change in their community??. Join the RET INC in celebrating Black History Month! ?????? When: Feb. 12, 2025 Time: 10:00AM - 2:00PM Where: 8721 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60619 #blackhistorymonth #honoringlegacy #retinc

?? We're Hiring! ?? We're looking for a Chicago Harm Reduction Working Group Consultant to support Black, Brown, and Indigenous-led harm reduction efforts on Chicago’s West and South sides. ? Passionate about harm reduction, equity, and community collaboration? Help strengthen resources, build connections, and advocate for impacted communities. ?? Pay: $30-$50/hr (approx. 60 hours of work) ?? Deadline: End of February ?? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/ghx5DyXi Tag someone who’d be a great fit! Let’s make an impact together. ?? #HarmReduction #ChicagoJobs #CommunityImpact #PublicHealth

IHRRC is elated to announce a significant step towards saving the lives of people who use drugs (PWUD) in Illinois. Yesterday, the Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board (IORAB), which is responsible for recommending the appropriate use of opioid settlement funds in line with the State Overdose Action Plan approved the allocation of up to $18 million (roughly $6 million per year over three years) to pilot Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS) and $20 million towards supportive housing in Illinois. The recommendation moves to the Governor’s Opioid Prevention and Recovery Steering Committee for a vote in the near future. We strongly encourage this committee to implement this recommendation to fund OPS’ statewide and potentially save thousands of lives across the state.? ? This historic moment has been made possible by passionate advocates including individuals with lived and living experience/expertise, loved ones of those who have died from or been affected by substance use and overdose, outreach workers, peer recovery support specialists, historic leaders of harm reduction, healthcare professionals, legislators, and passionate allies.? ? What happens now? As we wait for the committee's final vote, we encourage you to join IHRRC’s statewide members in contacting your state representatives and state senators to pass legislation to legalize the OPS pilot program and encourage their colleagues to do the same. We also hope you will take a moment today to let this extraordinary event sink in. The fight for justice and safety for PWUD is far from over, but today we consider this a win and a major step towards OPS’ becoming a reality in Illinois. We are deeply moved and grateful for this step in the process of bringing hope to people who use drugs and those who have lost someone they love to a preventable substance-related death.

?? ACT Training Thu Jan 30, 2025 from 7-8 PM **What you’ll learn:** - ?? The facts - ??? Policy solutions - ??? Advocacy steps - ?? Local and statewide resources Don’t miss out! Register now at: https://lnkd.in/g8RrHnaV ?? #ACTTraining #Advocacy #PolicySolutions