NASW-Illinois Chapter membership helps us to push for legislation that benefit Illinois social workers and the clients they serve. As the largest membership association in Illinois advocating on behalf of social workers, consider adding your voice to our efforts and join/renew your NASW membership today.
SPRINGFIELD—Thanks this week to Illinois State Senator Karina Villa who was able to pass Senate Bill 3779 (SB3779) in the Senate today. An initiative of the NASW-Illinois Chapter and a featured bill at this year's 2024 NASW-Illinois Chapter Advocacy Day, SB3779 would allow social workers to carry and administer opioid antagonists.
From the Illinois Senate Democrats website:
“Social workers are at the forefront of the opioid epidemic, providing services in communities affected by overdose across the state,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “They can help combat the epidemic directly by being able to administer lifesaving medication.”
Senate Bill 3779 would allow licensed clinical social workers and licensed social workers to possess and administer opioid antagonists. Opioid antagonists, such as Naloxone, temporarily block the effects of an overdose and restore breathing. Employers of social workers would be required to provide training and establish a policy to control the acquisition, storage, transportation, and administration of opioid antagonists.
The Opioid Data Dashboard demonstrates that a fatal overdose occurred in almost every county in Illinois. Social workers often encounter individuals at risk of experiencing an overdose while practicing in a variety of settings and authorizing them to administer opioid antagonist would prevent future fatalities.
“From big cities to small towns, the opioid epidemic affects everyone,” said Villa. “We must continue to find ways to save people’s lives – and this measure will accomplish that.”
Senate Bill 3779 passed the Senate Friday and heads to the House for further consideration.
As the bill now moves to the Illinois House, we encourage all social workers to contact their state representatives to pass this meaningful bill. You can do this by going to our Advocacy Alerts page, entering your zipcode and address into the "View Your Election Center," going to "View Officials," and composing a message to your state representative.
For more advocacy-related news from the NASW-Illinois Chapter, visit the "Advocacy" sub-tab on our "News" page. Or check out our Bill Tracker which shows all of the bills the NASW-Illinois Chapter is tracking for the current Illinois legislative session.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with over 120,000 members. The NASW-Illinois Chapter is one of the association's largest chapters representing over 20,000 licensed Illinois social workers and school social workers, with over 5,000 active members. NASW strives to advance social work careers, grow social work businesses, and protect the profession.