For the results of surveys regarding drug and alcohol abuse in the state are somewhat good news/bad news. The good news is that rates for illicit drug use across all age groups show Illinois well below the national average. The bad news is that alcohol abuse in Illinois is consistently above the national average. This may change, however, as the number of people under 17 currently sampling drugs like marijuana is significantly higher than in older age groups, and climbing. In fact, while alcohol use seems to be dropping, drug use is rising across the board.

Illinois is fortunate in having a broad spectrum of drug and alcohol treatment centers located across the state to fight the problem. In 2006 there were 588 rehabiltation facilities in Illinois, ranging from private nonprofit (338), to private for-profit (221), to state-managed public clinics (27). An unusually large number (107) offered residential programs, good news for families seeking ways to completely separate their addicted loved one from the environment that drove or enabled the addiction. Rehab centers in Illinois also offered a fairly high number of opioid programs (63) and physicians licensed to administer treatment for opiate addiction. Nevertheless, anyone seeking treatment from a drug and alcohol treatment center in Illinois should be aware that not all facilities offer the same types of programs and services, and evaluate the local options carefully against their own particular needs.

Until recently, Illinois was relatively free of the methamphetamine menace overtaking many parts of the rest of the country, but it is now being distributed in Chicago and doubtless will spread. Meth is one of the most difficult of all addictions to treat, and experience in dealing with this addiction should be a prime factor in evaluating drug treatment facilities in Illinois. Due to Illinois’ high and long-standing incidence of alcohol abuse, most Illinois treatment centers will have some experience in treating alcoholism, but families should not assume that every treatment program is the same.

The variety of threats facing school-age children may be startling to parents. In 2006, 14% of boys and 16% of girls in Illinois schools admitted to abusing pain pills. This is in keeping with upward trends for abuse of prescription painkillers and sleep aids across the country. Many families who never believed that a drug and alcohol treatment center could ever lie in their future may think differently after viewing the table below.

The high rate of marijuana use should be a particular red flag to school administrators and parents, as “pot” is the gateway drug to many serious addictions.

For any addiction, whether to alcohol, prescription drugs, or illicit substances of any kind, early intervention is key, followed by a comprehensive course of treatment at a well-qualified drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. In Illinois, the choices are broad enough that families may not have to look far for the proper balance of funding, staffing, and treatment programs.