Lt. Gov. Sanguinetti to open 2018 HERO HELPS Community Summit, discuss implementation of Illinois Opioid Action Plan

ROMEOVILLE – Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti will offer welcoming comments at the 2018 HERO HELPS Southwest Coalition Community Summit during where she will share our state’s efforts to curtail the opioid crisis that has plagued Illinois and the Nation.

The Community Summit, which is free and open to the public, begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 11 at the Edward Hospital Athletic and Event Center in Romeoville.

Lt. Gov. Sanguinetti, who co-chairs the Governor’s Opioid Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force, will discuss the key elements of the Illinois Opioid Action Plan.  The plan, which is a collaboration between various state agencies, community stakeholders, and advocates, creates a framework outlining approaches to address the opioid crisis in Illinois. The goal is to reduce the anticipated number of opioid-related deaths by 33 percent over the next three years.

 “The opioid crisis knows no neighborhood, no color, and no class. It’s an equal opportunity aggressor that has killed nearly 11,000 Illinoisans the last 10 years,” Sanguinetti said. “Our task force is hard at work traveling the state gathering research as we implement our Illinois Opioid Action Plan and save lives. I’m excited to speak at this year’s HERO HELPS summit and thankful to the organizers for their ongoing efforts to battle this deadly epidemic.”

 The Summit also will feature presentations by Maria Bruni, assistant secretary of programs for the Illinois Department of Human Services, and Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Dr. Shah co-chairs the Governor’s Task Force.

In addition, Kathleen Burke, Director of Substance Use Initiatives for Will County, will provide Narcan administration training to those who register in advance. There also will be a resource fair with 40 vendors who provide substance abuse prevention and intervention services.  Up to four free continuing education credits will be offered.

For more information or to register for Narcan training, visit: www.HeroHelpsSWC.org.