Springfield, Ill- Drug addiction in Illinois has seen an increase in recent months, and the COVID-19 pandemic has done little to help the problem.
Mercedes Kent, the clinical supervisor of the outpatient department at the Gateway Foundation, says that overdose deaths have nearly doubled during the pandemic.
“I would definitely say we’ve seen a raise” Kent said. “Overdose deaths have almost doubled from the numbers last year. There is a lot of factors that go into that such as isolation, being thrust into poverty, idle time, and boredom,” said Kent.
However, Kent says that rehab services, such as the Gateway Foundation are still available for those who need help.
“At Gateway Foundation, we have a 24-hour hotline, so they can call to get into services,” said Kent. “We also have gatewayfoundation.org and we have immediate placement for clients that need residential treatment and/or outpatient treatment and the first step is to make a call whether it’s for yourself or a family member.”
For more information, visit gatewayfoundation.org.
