Opioid Overdose Prevention Project

In Oak Park

Opioid overdose boxes are installed in seven easily accessible, public-facing locations throughout Oak Park. Each box contains pouches with doses of naloxone and instructions on how to provide overdose first aid:

• Corner of South Boulevard and Harlem Avenue
• Corner of North Avenue and Ridgeland Avenue
• Corner of Randolph Street and Marion Street
• Corner of Washington Boulevard and Austin Boulevard
• Near the alley between parking lot 33 and 900 S. block of Humphrey Ave.
• Maple Park, 1105 S. Maple Ave. on the exterior wall of the restroom
• Oak Park Public Library Main Branch, 834 Lake St. entryway

Click here to open the map in a separate window.

Most of the boxes are accessible 24 hours a day. One box is located in the lobby of the Oak Park Public Library - Main Branch and is accessible while the library is open.

In the Chicago area

Find Narcan Near You! 
Opioid Data Dashboard (Click on Naloxone Distribution Locations) 

Naloxone provided through mail-order delivery and mobile outreach in Oak Park

Harm Reduction Outreach : Live4Lali

The Oak Park Public Health Department is offering free community Narcan training sesions in September, October and November 2024.

This 90-minute training is ideal for people who want to be ready to respond if they encounter a person experiencing a potential opioid overdose. The training covers harm reduction principles, signs and symptoms of opioid overdose, how Narcan works in the body, hands-on practice with Narcan nasal spray and time for question and answers. Participants will also receive a free opioid overdose prevention kit to take home.

Click here to register for an upcoming training

Click the links below for information about how to provide first aid to an overdose victim:

• Spectrum Health – how to use Narcan
• Identifying an Overdose and Using Narcan

Opioid overdoses in Oak Park:

*Fewer than five overdoses

In 2022, 151 people in Oak Park experienced an opioid overdose. That means that someone in Oak Park overdoses due to opioid use almost every other day. In 2019, 10.1 million U.S. residents (3.7% of the population) reported nonmedical use of an opioid. Of those, the majority reported misusing prescription opioids.

Any opioid use, including opioids prescribed by a medical provider, puts individuals at risk of accidental overdose and developing opioid use disorder. Common prescription opioids include: hydrocodone (Vicodin®), oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percocet®), oxymorphone (Opana®), morphine (Kadian®, Avinza®), and codeine.

It’s important to overcome the stigma around opioid use so we can openly speak about it with our friends and family and increase the number of people who have naloxone and know how to use it.

Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about the naloxone project

The Opioid Overdose Prevention Project would not be possible without the work of many community members and partners. The Public Health Department would like to thank the following organizations and individuals for dedicating their time, expertise and resources to this effort:

Community Partners

• Live4 Lali
• The Oak Park Public Library
• The Oak Park Township
• The Park District of Oak Park

Acknowledgements

• Sheila Haennicke, for creating a video to share her son’s story
• Lesa Kiefer, for donating her time and the supplies to create the waterproof custom lettering for the exterior of all of the boxes
• The King Crimson Men’s Group, for volunteering their time to stuff more than 200 opioid overdose prevention kits, which include Naloxone nasal spray, instructions for use, fentanyl test strips and recovery resources.
• Dr. Sophia Peng, for creating a video to educate viewers on substance use disorder and connecting Health Department staff to resources
• Juan Perez, for assisting with translating project materials into Spanish

Find help for opioid use disorder

Helpline Illinois

Call, text, or chat with Helpline Illinois 24 hours a day and ask for MAR NOW. MAR stands for medication assisted recovery. The Helpline will connect you with a care manager who will quickly and without judgement link you to care and recovery services.

Chicago-Area Organizations

Chicago Recovery Alliance
Live4Lali
West Side Task Force
Overcome Opioids Chicago
Cook County Department of Public Health

State and National Organizations

Opioid Overdose Response (Illinois Department of Public Health)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Food and Drug Administration
American Medical Association
American Public Health Association
American Pharmacists Association
Red Cross