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Alcohol and drug abuse are issues throughout the United States, and the state of Illinois is no exception. For those struggling with addiction to substances like drugs or alcohol, help is available regardless of your economic status. Some facilities take insurance, while others have a sliding scale or are subsidized so that they cost nothing to the patient seeking treatment. The key is to find a treatment facility that meets the patient’s specific needs. The information below has been compiled to make that search a bit easier.

Alcohol Usage Statistics in Illinois

According to the Centers for Disease Control and the America’s Health Rankings annual report, Illinois has a significant alcohol abuse problem. The state ranks at 41, meaning 40 states have less of a problem with alcohol abuse. In 2017, over 8,000 people entered a treatment program for alcohol abuse, and another 16,000 entered treatment for alcohol and drug abuse issues. Although Illinois does have a significant number of residents who might abuse alcohol, the state has taken a proactive approach to dealing with its abuse issues.

Drug Usage in Illinois

Illinois has a drug abuse problem, but not to the degree of other states. According to the Centers for Disease Control and the annual report put out by America’s Health Rankings, Illinois is ranked 24th in drug-related deaths, which puts them in the middle of the statistics across the country. In 2017, 20,000 residents of Illinois entered treatment for drug abuse while only 16,000 entered treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. The state has 633 treatment facilities consisting of inpatient, outpatient, and day treatment programs.

Most at Risk Groups

According to the CDC, the most at-risk groups for alcohol abuse and overdose are Hispanic men and non-Hispanic white men. The use of alcohol and drugs from 1999 to 2015 steadily increased for both groups, resulting in 9.9 and 9.6 deaths per 100,000 respectively. On the other hand, non-Hispanic black men’s deaths per 100,000 have decreased by 33% between 1999 and 2015. Non-Hispanic white men also are the largest population of regular drinkers, followed closely by Hispanic men and non-Hispanic white women. Regular drinkers are defined as anyone who has consumed more than 12 alcoholic drinks in the past year.

Drug and Alcohol Death Statistics in Illinois

In 2018, 2,272 people died from drug-related issues in the state of Illinois. This is equal to 21.3 deaths per 100,000 people. The national average for 2018 was 20.7 deaths per 100,000 people, which puts Illinois above average. Drug deaths include overdoses as well as fatal medical conditions that are mainly caused by drug use.

According to state statistics, more than 5,000 people die from alcohol poisoning or alcohol-related conditions per year. Another 9,000 to 10,000 people die each year in accidents where alcohol is believed to have played a factor. These include accidental overdoses, automobile accidents, and other fatal occurrences.

All About Treatment Centers

Inpatient

For those who are ready to seek treatment for their alcohol addiction and want to do so away from the temptation or culture of drinking, an inpatient facility is a good option. In the state of Illinois, there are 89 inpatient facilities for alcohol abuse, with 24 of these facilities offering hospitalization for detoxification. For a person whose body is fully dependent on alcohol to function, something that is common for those with a long-time drinking addiction, a hospital treatment facility, or medically supervised detox facility, is the safest approach at the beginning. Alcohol detox can be lethal if it is not monitored closely, so having medical staff trained in recognizing the signs of detox threats is vital. Once the danger has subsided, a patient can then check into a regular inpatient facility and continue their recovery journey.

Outpatient

For those who recognize that alcohol is becoming an issue but have a support structure around them, an outpatient treatment facility could be the best option. Illinois has 585 outpatient treatment facilities that vary in their approach to treatment. Visiting these facilities and finding one that fits your needs is a good way to choose the best treatment for you. With day treatment programs, you report to the treatment center each day and go through checkups, counseling, and group therapy sessions. Other programs allow you to tailor treatment around your other responsibilities, such as work or taking care of your family. This is why it’s important to see what’s available and what will work best for your specific situation.

Considerations

Licensure

Various states have licensing requirements for their facilities and employees. The most common accreditation is through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities or CARF. This accreditation body has been in existence since 1966 and consists of 11 elected board members. CARF oversees treatment facilities and ensures that requirements are being met. Along with the facility, treatment counselors and other employees are required to have special training, certifications, and licenses depending on the type of services they provide. Some of these licenses and certifications could include Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Addictions Counselor, and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

Do They Accept Insurance?

Most treatment centers in Illinois accept insurance. The issue is whether or not a person seeking treatment has insurance that will pay for the treatment. Many insurance providers have started including substance abuse as an insurable item with at least partial insurance payments. The type of coverage can vary from one facility to another, so if a person plans to use their insurance, which facilities work with their insurance provider and which do not is something that should be carefully researched before checking into a treatment program. In some cases, Medicare or Medicaid will pay for treatment, but this is on a case by case basis.

Treatment Center Statistics in Illinois

Type of Facility

According to a study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the state of Illinois has 633 treatment facilities. The majority are non-profit facilities, but there are also private for-profit facilities as well as state and federally owned centers.

Here is a breakdown of the various treatment facilities in Illinois:

  • For-Profit facilities: 263 or 41.3% of all facilities
  • Not-for-profit facilities: 344 or 54.3% of all facilities
  • Local/community-run facilities: 14 or 2.2% of all facilities
  • State facilities: 8 or 1.3% of all facilities
  • Federal facilities: 4 or 0.06% of all facilities

Substance Abuse Problems Treated

Treatment facilities in Illinois treat drug and alcohol abuse issues. Some people need treatment for one or the other, while others need treatment for both. While recovering from addiction to one substance is difficult and sometimes dangerous, recovering from an addiction to multiple substances at once can be even more so.

Here’s the breakdown of how many facilities offer which treatments in the state:

Clients with both alcohol and drug abuse 544 93.0%
Clients with drug abuse only 489 83.6%
Clients with alcohol abuse only 500 85.5%

The majority of persons (45.2%) who entered treatment in 2017 went for drug abuse only. Clients being treated for drug abuse only made up 35.7% of those who sought treatment in 2017. The remainder (19.1%) went to a facility for treatment because of alcohol abuse.

Facility Payment Options

There are a variety of ways to pay for treatment in the state of Illinois. The three most common forms of payment accepted by facilities is cash or self-payment (in which the client pays out of pocket) private insurance, and Medicaid. Many facilities have a sliding scale or payment plan available for clients, while most facilities take more than one form of payment. So, a client could pay with a combination of cash and insurance or pay a down payment on a treatment plan and pay the balance on the sliding scale. Other forms of payment accepted are military insurance, Medicare, and state-funded insurance.

Services Offered

For those seeking treatment for alcohol abuse, there are treatment facilities that cater to this issue alone, while others will treat co-occurring addictions. These facilities have special programs specifically for those seeking treatment from alcohol.

Below are some of the services offered and the number of facilities that provide those services.

Aftercare/continuing care 601
Assistance in locating housing for clients 229
Assistance with obtaining social services 287
Breathalyzer or other blood alcohol testing 450
Case management services 534
Child care for clients’ children 23
Discharge planning 619
Domestic violence services 213
Drug or alcohol urine screening 544
Employment counseling or training for clients 167
Family counseling 498
Group counseling 618
Individual counseling 627
Marital/couples counseling 382
Mentoring/peer support 303
Social skills development 435

It is worth noting that these facilities can be in stand-alone structures or departments of a treatment center that offers various types of treatment.

Find an Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers in Illinois

What to Expect Checking In

In the state of Illinois, only the client or a judge can authorize a check-in for treatment. Involuntary commitment by family members or others is not permitted. In most cases the client checks himself in voluntarily but, in some cases, law enforcement can take the client into custody and escort them to the treatment facility. Once at the facility, the client is checked in, screened, and assigned a room.

Detox & Withdrawal

When you decide to enter treatment for addiction, there more to it than just showing up at a facility and promising to get sober. For example, a detox regimen might not be necessary if a patient is coming from a hospital where they were already closely monitored. However, if the inpatient treatment center is the first stage of recovery, then choosing a facility with detox capabilities is important. Some of the side effects of alcohol and substance abuse withdrawal can be life-threatening if not quickly recognized and treated. Detox should only be undertaken under the care of a medical professional. If such a facility is not an option, then a hospital stay to monitor the detox should be considered. Getting clean is important, and a positive step, but if you become more ill or worse because of the side effects of coming off the alcohol or drugs, then that is counterproductive for all involved.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal from alcohol takes time and should be monitored by a medical professional.

Some of the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:

  • Anxiety
  • Headache
  • Insomnia
  • Nausea
  • Shaky hands
  • Sweating
  • Vomiting

Later withdrawal symptoms can include:

  • Confusion
  • Fever
  • Heavy sweating
  • High blood pressure
  • Hallucinations
  • Racing heart
  • Seizures

Short- or Long-term Inpatient Treatment

Treatment for alcohol and drug abuse comes in many forms. First, there’s the detox portion where your body is weaned off the substance it has grown to depend on. As we mentioned previously, this stage can be life-threatening and therefore occurs under the care and supervision of a medical professional. Once the dangers of detox have passed, the patient is ready to move into treatment and programs that will help them remain clean and sober. Patients can choose between short-term and long-term treatment,

and the plan they choose should depend on several factors such as:

  • length of time the patient actively used
  • the number of substances the patient was addicted to
  • Other underlying issues that could have led to the patient using alcohol or drugs

The deeper the addition is rooted, the longer the treatment should be. This isn’t an exact science; some people thrive in a short-term program and can live a substance-free life after 30, 60 or 90 days in treatment. Others need longer, depending on how addicted they were, the root cause of the addiction, or whether or not they have a support system. Long-term treatment can be six months to several years, depending on the level of treatment needed, though in-patient treatment usually doesn’t last more than 30-90 days.

Outpatient Treatment

Once inpatient treatment concludes, the patient can then transfer to an outpatient program if additional treatment is needed. Not everyone needs outpatient treatment but it’s a good idea to check into a program for support just in case. During outpatient treatment, a person has access to a therapist, group counseling sessions, and other coping tools and methods. Outpatient treatment can continue indefinitely or conclude in a few weeks or months. The need and length of time depend on what the patient needs. Some continue their one-on-one counseling sessions, while others participate in group sessions.

SOURCES

  • https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/drug_poisoning_mortality/drug_poisoning.htm

  • https://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/dasis2/nssats/n2017_st_profiles.pdf

  • http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=31787https://www.careaddiction.com/look-for-addiction-treatment

  • https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-facts-and-statistics