CHICAGO - The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) announces the launch of summer activations to coordinate interventions along the continuum of substance use and violence prevention using a hyper-local, place-based approach. CDPH aims to flatten the curves of opioid overdoses and violence victimizations by increasing outreach in the most impacted community areas to increase knowledge, resources, and linkage to care.

Opioid overdoses and gun violence are public health crises in need of focused interventions, particularly as they peak seasonally, and are geographically concentrated in Chicago. CDPH's data indicates that the number of both gun violence victimizations and suspected opioid overdoses increase in the summer months (May–August) in Chicago. Violent incidents are most likely to occur on weekends, peaking on Saturday nights between midnight and 2 am

During the summer of 2024, CDPH coordinated a response between government agencies, partner organizations, and other stakeholders through a Summer Opioid Response Incident Command Structure (SOR-ICS), reinforcing opioid use safeguards among populations. Focused on opioid-use hotspots in five West-side communities, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) responses for opioid-related overdoses dropped by 23% compared to the same period in 2023. Based on preliminary data from Cook County, opioid overdose deaths dropped by 44% in 2024 compared to 2023.

Key learnings from the 2024 summer response included fusing the objectives of opioid overdose prevention with violence reduction efforts in a joint injury prevention response and expanding to priority communities in the South Side of Chicago. Since violence often co-exists with opioid use in many of the same communities, the strategic inputs, collaboration, and the public health outreach objectives for reducing preventable deaths have much in common. This year, 15 communities have been identified as priority areas for opioid overdose outreach, and 21 for violence prevention outreach. The lessons learned from the 2024 opioid response activations are summarized in the 2024 Summer Opioid Response: After Action Report.

“Following our success in bringing down opioid overdoses requiring emergency responses in 2024, CDPH aims to expand its efforts to 27 communities on the South and West Sides of Chicago in 2025 to address the dual public health crises of opioid overdoses and firearm violence,” said CDPH Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo Ige. “By deploying evidence-based interventions and centering people and their wellness, we hope to accelerate progress towards our goal of reducing preventable deaths.”

CDPH's summer safety plan in 2025 includes the following interventions in the 27 priority community areas:

566 Peacekeepers will work as local messengers in identified hotspots to de-escalate tensions and mediate peace between conflicted parties. Community areas in Chicago that incorporated Peacekeeper programs have seen reductions in shooting victimizations.

Safe Space Activations are social settings where communities can safely gather. Trusted messengers from the community share vital resources and information in these gatherings.

Gun safety workshops are scheduled from May through August in locations around the city.

Gun locks are a safe and effective way to prevent suicide and unintentional shootings, especially among children and teens. Gun locks can be requested from IDPH online.

Drug Checking by harm reduction organizations to test drug samples for harmful adulterants.

Canvassing door-to-door in priority areas, distributing harm reduction kits with naloxone and education materials.

Safety at Summer Festivals by providing Narcan® and drug test kits to people who use drugs along with informational materials about the risks of adulterants in the illegal drug supply.

CDPH offers resources such as therapy and medication management in City of Chicago Mental Health Clinics and through partner organizations, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay; free Healing Arts sessions for mental health and wellness; and gun safety awareness workshops throughout the summer around Chicago. CDPH also stocks public health vending machines with Narcan® or naloxone (Find Narcan® near you), drug test kits, gun locks, personal hygiene kits, Plan B, and sexual health supplies vended to residents at no cost. For anyone seeking treatment for opioid use disorder, MAR NOW connects callers to immediate care. Call 833-234-6343 or text “HELP” to 833234.

To read more about CDPH's work in behavioral health in Chicago, visit: Chicago.gov/BehavioralHealth

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