Naperville Treatment Centers

Naperville, Illinois, was voted second best place in the country to live in 2009, something that the city takes great pride in. However, it is not without its problems and, like in most other parts of the country, there are significant concerns surrounding substance abuse and addiction. One way in which they are addressing these problems are through drug courts, offering people an alternative to a jail term. However, the city understands that not every drug or alcohol abuser will have brushes with the law, but they all need treatment. The city also understands that it is important to be proactive, by helping people to not turn to drugs in the first place.

Statistics on Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Naperville

In order to properly understand what types of intervention and help should be in place, Napervilla first wanted to create a clear picture of the drug and alcohol problem within its city borders. They uncovered that:

• 91% of people know of at least one person in Naperville who uses cannabis.
• 66% of people believe cannabis should be available for medicinal purposes.
• 49% of people who use substances first started when they were aged between 18 and 25.
• 66% of people believe it is easy to access cocaine in the city.
• 92% of people believe meth use is on the rise.
• 96% of people believe there is a growing problem with prescription drug abuse.
• 89% of people believe better treatment, including detox and rehab, should be made available for those who suffer from a substance abuse disorder.
• 35,116 people use alcohol to levels that are considered to be problematic.
• 13,607 people in Naperville currently use illicit substances, of which 2,150 people also use alcohol.
• The greatest drug threats in Naperville come from cannabis, heroin, cocaine (power and crack), and stimulants.

The Approach

The drug courts system in Naperville has seen great successes, with people being committed to their recovery if it helps them to avoid a prison sentence. Through the drug courts, they are ordered to first go through detox, whereby their body rids itself of the remaining chemicals they were using, and they then enter rehab. During rehab, they are provided with personalized therapy and counseling in order to address their problems.

At the same time, a number of community efforts against addiction have been put in place in partnership with the schooling system and public health authorities. Their goal is to ensure that young people gain a greater understanding of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, and that they are provided with alternatives. At the same time, parents are provided with resources to help them help their children to stay away from those dangerous substances.

Lastly, significant investments have been made in ensuring that detox and rehab become more readily available. There are private and state sponsored facilities, some of which offer residential services and others that offer outpatient services. All also provide their patients with significant aftercare. Put together, they aim to avoid the likelihood of relapse in the future, encouraging people to retain their newfound health and happiness.