On this episode of the Deerfield Public Library Podcast, we’re talking about the opioid abuse epidemic. Our guest is Martin Clancy, who serves as the Project Coordinator for Drug Overdose Prevention Programs at the Lake County Health Department. Martin tells us how this crisis came about and what we can do to prevent and treat opioid addiction. Martin is also a Deerfield resident and he gives us specific, local advice on where to go for help.
Local initiatives and tips
This crisis has grown in recent years, so Illinois and Lake County have ramped up efforts to combat this issue. Illinois recently launched an opioid and substance abuse help hotline, available 24/7, which can be reached at 1-833-2FINDHELP or 1-833-234-6343. Lake County has adopted a program called “A Way Out,” which lists police stations where people seeking treatment can get help for drug abuse without being charged with a crime. The Deerfield Police Department is part of this program. More information can be found at awayoutlc.org.
Listen to our conversation for more tips, like what to do if your doctor prescribes opioids, or where to get Naloxone, the life-saving drug that reverses opioid overdoses. If you want to learn more about how the opioid crisis came about, Martin recommends Dreamland by Sam Quinones, which you can find at the Library. Or, get involved with local organizations like the Lake County Opioid Initiative and Community — The Anti-Drug (CTAD).
You can contact Martin Clancy by email at mclancy@lakecountyil.gov or his cell phone, 224-651-3442.
We hope you enjoy our fifteenth episode! Each month we’ll be releasing an episode featuring a conversation with a dynamic guest with a Deerfield connection. Learn more about the podcast on our podcast page.
You can listen to all of our episodes in the player below or on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. We welcome your comments and feedback—please send to podcast@deerfieldlibrary.org.
