Village of Elk Grove, IL
Elk Grove Village Cares
Population 10,000-49,999
Reframing illegal drug use from a problem for law enforcement to a public health crisis that needs treatment and support led Elk Grove Village to develop the Elk Grove Village Cares program, the first community-based program of its kind in the Chicago area. This program serves anyone over the age of 12, regardless of residency, and not only includes access to treatment and support services, but also financial support for those who are uninsured or underinsured. Elk Grove Village Cares goes beyond the boundaries of the Village to provide help when people need it and combat a crisis that reaches far beyond Village limits.
The program, run by the police department, directs individuals with addiction to community services that can better assist them and meet long-term needs. This not only provides better services for those in need but also directs them away from jails and courtrooms, freeing up space for serious crimes, and builds trust between the police and the community as they are seen as partners and not just law enforcement. The police-assisted deflection program addresses the root cause of the criminal behavior—substance abuse—which leads to better outcomes for individuals, families, and the community as a whole.
Funded nearly completely by state and federal grants, the Elk Grove Village Cares program also removes financial obstacles to treatment. The program is available to anyone who contacts the police department to ask for help, regardless of ability to pay, and those asking for help will not face arrest. The Village partners with community-based care centers and foundations to connect those seeking treatment with the proper care and support. All police officers are trained on the program, and no one is turned away.
The partner organizations offer a wide variety of services, including inpatient and outpatient care, transitional housing, medication-assisted treatment, counseling, detoxification, case management, behavioral health screenings, and diagnostic evaluations. In addition to the treatment options, the program also covers transportation to and from the treatment centers to ensure barrier-free access to recovery. This holistic approach provides measurable progress toward fighting the public health crisis.
While many programs exist for adults, Elk Grove Village Cares also includes adolescents, which helps to treat addiction before adulthood, keeps kids in school, and reduces the likelihood of criminal behavior. As a final part of this program, the Village installed a free Narcan dispensing machine and prescription drug collection box to fight overdoses and encourage proper disposal of unneeded medications.
In the first five and a half years of the program, Elk Grove Village Cares has made 383 connections to treatment providers. The Narcan dispenser was added in June 2023, and the free kits led to 17 overdose reversals in the first 18 months of their use.
The community-based initiative brought together numerous stakeholders, and the police department has been able to build and maintain these strong relationships to keep the program in operation. Acting quickly when someone needs help is key to success, and having trusted, reliable treatment partners allows this to happen easily. The program’s success has been recognized by multiple state and federal agencies and showcases the importance of local government managers in community health and safety. Ultimately, the availability of these resources leads to a safer, healthier community for all.
