Illinois: Educated & Empowered Campaign

Safe Spaces — Illinois Educated and Empowered

Statewide Public Awareness Campaign on Substance Use and Support Services

CRCC is proud to launch the Illinois: Educated & Empowered Campaign, a statewide Public Awareness Campaign on Substance Use and Supports (PACSS), funded by Advocates for Human Potential (AHP). This initiative focuses on developing public awareness campaigns to educate Illinois residents about substance use, reduce stigma, and promote access to vital support services.

Our Mission

Through this campaign, CRCC aims to empower individuals across Illinois by providing them with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed decisions about substance use and recovery. Our goal is to ensure that people understand the risks associated with substance use, including the legal use of cannabis, and know where to seek help if they or a loved one need it.

Who We Serve

CRCC’s PACSS campaign is designed to support two key at-risk groups:

Emerging Adults (Ages 18-25): This population is particularly vulnerable as they transition into adulthood, often encountering new challenges related to mental health, substance use, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We pay special attention to Non-Hispanic Black emerging adults, who face higher rates of overdose fatalities and other risk factors.
Adults Over 21 Legally Permitted to Use Substances: As Illinois expands its cannabis legalization, CRCC is focused on raising awareness about responsible use, potential risks, and available treatment options. Many individuals in this group are also at risk due to underlying mental health conditions, neurodivergence, and familial histories of substance use.

Statewide Reach

Our campaign will engage communities across all 102 counties in Illinois, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive approach. By collaborating with local partners, recovery organizations, and treatment centers, we will spread important messages to help individuals understand substance use risks and find the right support when needed.

Key Campaign Goals

Raise Awareness: We aim to reduce stigma around substance use by providing clear, fact-based information. This includes addressing the opioid crisis, mental health challenges, and the impact of cannabis legalization.
Promote Access to Support Services: We want to ensure that Illinois residents know where and how to access treatment and recovery services, especially in communities with limited resources.
Targeted Outreach: Our campaign will use culturally sensitive messaging, particularly aimed at non-Hispanic Black communities, to ensure that our efforts reach those most in need of support.

To maximize the effectiveness of the program, CRCC will strategically partner with following nonprofit, peer-run SUD/COD focused community organizations. All program partners currently support both target populations for this project. They are each located the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) regions #1 through #5. These partners are instrumental in ensuring comprehensive statewide coverage and include:

NIRCO, a Recovery Community Organization in region #2,
Take Action Today in region #5,
Perfectly Flawed Foundation (PFF) in region #4, and
Sauk Valley Voices of Recovery (SVVOR) in region #3; and
Live4Lali, a statewide harm reduction organization
CRCC is in Region #1

These organizations will form the leadership of the Recovery Educated & Empowered Committee (REEC). Each partner organization will receive a monthly stipend to support project activities within their respective areas, ensuring that the project's goals are met through localized and effective interventions.

Why This Matters

Illinois faces significant challenges related to substance use, with thousands of residents affected by opioid addiction, alcohol abuse, and increasing cannabis use. According to SAMHSA, over 36,000 treatment admissions were reported in 2020 alone for substance use disorders, including heroin, alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamines. Yet, 80 percent of Illinois residents who need substance use treatment still don’t receive it.

Through this campaign, CRCC is working to close this gap by educating communities, reducing stigma, and providing clear pathways to help. We believe every individual deserves access to recovery services, and we are here to make that a reality.

How to Get Involved

CRCC welcomes individuals, organizations, and community members who want to support our public awareness campaign. Whether you’re looking for resources, want to learn more, or wish to collaborate with us to extend our reach, we invite you to join us.

For more information on the campaign or to participate, please contact our PACSS Campaign Coordinator, Derrick Brewer at brewerd.crcc@gmail.com.