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Illinois Celebrates National Recovery Month and Recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day
Statewide events during August and September will raise awareness about drug overdose and promote recovery from substance use and mental health conditions
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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker has issued two proclamations recognizing August 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day and September as National Recovery Month in Illinois. These observances honor the lives lost to drug overdose, support people in recovery, and promote access to treatment and resources.
International Overdose Awareness Day is a time to reflect on the individuals, families, and communities affected by overdoses and to raise awareness about how to reduce drug overdose deaths. National Recovery Month celebrates the strength and resilience of people recovering from substance use and mental health conditions, while providing an opportunity to promote evidence-based treatment and recovery practices. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and its community partners will host events throughout August and September, including memorials, educational trainings, speaker panels, and digital campaigns.
“Behavioral health challenges affect not only individuals but also their families and entire communities,” said IDHS Director of the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, Dr. David Albert. “But communities also hold the power to make a difference by raising awareness and breaking down stigma, to reduce overdose deaths and support lasting recovery. At IDHS, we’re committed to building stronger, healthier communities by expanding access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services.”
Events and Initiatives
- On August 31, community organizations will hold events statewide to remember Illinoisans who have died from drug overdoses. A full list of events is available at Illinois - International Overdose Awareness Day.
- Throughout National Recovery Month, IDHS will co-host events with service providers and advocates to educate the public and promote recovery resources. These events are critical to addressing and removing the stigma associated with recovery and encouraging public support.
- The Chicago skyline will glow purple from September 2–9 in honor of National Recovery Month.
- IDHS encourages Illinoisans to join the movement using the hashtag #RecoveryBelongsIL to show support and help normalize recovery.
Illinois is seeing promising progress in preventing overdose deaths. Following a decline in overdose deaths in 2023, the downward trend continues, thanks to expanded access to tools like naloxone, known as Narcan, and lifesaving information. The IDHS Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery (IDHS-DBHR) continues to promote and implement strategies targeted at saving lives and improving access to recovery services for people impacted by mental illness and substance use in Illinois.
In State Fiscal Year 2025 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025), organizations enrolled in IDHS-DBHR’s Drug Overdose Prevention Program (DOPP):
- Trained over 58,000 people on how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and respond by administering naloxone
- Distributed over 302,000 naloxone kits
- Reported at least 2,923 overdose reversals
The IDHS-DBHR’s Illinois Helpline continues to be a vital connection point for people seeking help and a variety of services for substance use and gambling disorders including treatment, Medication Assisted Recovery, harm reduction services, and housing. People can contact the Illinois Helpline seeking support services for alcohol, opioid, methamphetamine, cocaine, and other drug use disorders. In State Fiscal Year 2025, the Helpline answered 23,332 calls, responded to over 2,000 texts and chats, and had 282,048 unique web visitors.
Additionally, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers immediate support for those in crisis. It plays a key role in the state’s behavioral health crisis care system, connecting individuals to timely services, saving lives, and easing the strain on emergency medical services. In State Fiscal Year 2025, the 988 Lifeline operated seven call centers, with three operating 24/7/365, and those call centers answered 142,471 calls.
The state continues to provide important recovery resources for residents and celebrates people who are in recovery from substance use and mental health challenges. The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides toolkits to learn more about International Overdose Awareness Day and National Recovery Month.
Resources
- If you or someone you know is facing challenges with substance use or gambling, contact the Illinois Helpline by calling 1-833-234-6343 (2-FINDHELP), texting "HELP" to 833234, or visiting: www.helplineIL.org.
- For mental health and other crisis support, dial 9-8-8 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline anytime (24/7/365).
- Individuals seeking naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses can contact providers funded by IDHS-DBHR to provide Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) services at IDHS: Illinois Overdose Prevention Programs: Contact Information. Organizations interested in becoming a DOPP can go to IDHS: IDHS/DBHR Drug Overdose Prevention for more information.
- For recovery and wellness support, call the Illinois Warm Line at 866-359-7953, Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. This line provides phone-based wellness and recovery support for anyone in Illinois. It is staffed by people who identify as individuals in recovery and therefore provides a unique blend of self-directed, empowering support, with education that includes resource materials and contacts.
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