Outside of the Chicago metropolitan area, Rockford, Illinois, is the fourth largest city in Illinois. Although Rockford was home to approximately 146,000 people in 2019, the city’s population has declined by 5% since a high of 153,000 in 2020. Rockford has its roots in industry, specifically producing heavy machinery, hardware, and tools. The arrival of the 20th century saw the city’s economy shift from industrial pursuits to automotive, healthcare, and aerospace industries.
Between 2018 and 2019, the unemployment rate in Rockford declined significantly from 12.9% to 4.4%. According to recent U.S Census data, the median income for Rockford residents in 2019 was just over $44,000. Despite the low unemployment rate and stable income, a significant portion of Rockford residents live at or below the poverty line. According to the same census data, more than 22% of Rockford residents lived in poverty as of 2019.
Introduction to Addiction in Rockford
Rockford, Illinois, is the largest city in Winnebago County accounting for more than half of the total county population of 283,000 people. Like many larger cities and metropolitan areas in Illinois, Rockford and Winnebago County have not been spared the struggles of the opioid epidemic that has been sweeping the nation throughout the last decade. According to a report published by the Rockford Register Star, Winnebago County alone averaged around three overdose deaths per week during the first half of 2018.
The rate of opioid deaths has been rising at the state, county, and local levels in Illinois over the last several years, with the number of fatalities nearly doubling between 2013 and 2017. Between 2015 and 2019, the rate of death per 100,000 residents in Winnebago County increased by over 27%. 69% of those were white, non-Hispanic individuals between ages 15 and 64.
Heroin and fentanyl are the two drugs most commonly attributed to overdose deaths in the county. In 2017, Winnebago County recorded 124 overdose deaths. By November of 2018, the county was on track to surpass that number with 125 by the 20th of the month. Fentanyl was linked to at least 86 (compared to 63 in 2017) of those cases, according to the county coroner. Heroin was involved in 52 of the deaths that had occurred through November 2018. In 2017 it was linked to 55 deaths throughout the year. Cocaine is the third-ranked drug linked to overdoses in the county.
By the end of 2018, 159 people in Winnebago County lost their lives to overdose, an average of three deaths per week. In many cases, multiple drugs were found. The Winnebago County coroner indicated multiple drugs were found in nearly 90% of cases, with fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine being the three most commonly found substances in 2018.
Of the 159 deaths that occurred in 2018, 48 occurred in people between 50 and 59 years of age. This age group accounts for nearly 30% of the year’s total deaths.
Acknowledging a struggle with addiction and deciding to seek help is one of the most challenging decisions someone living with a drug or alcohol addiction will make. To ensure your best opportunity for recovery, it is essential to choose a program where you feel safe and supported while you work towards sobriety. With so many options available, picking the right rehab may seem complicated, but the team here at Brightside Recovery can help. At our rehab center in Rockford, Il, our treatment team believes everyone should have access to addiction treatment support. Our goal is to make sure each person who turns to us for help begins treatment immediately. By offering virtual treatment options out of our Rockford, IL rehab, we can meet this goal.
When choosing a drug and alcohol rehab, there are many factors that go into making sure the treatment program provided meets your specific needs and goals. Ensuring you have access to treatment in a safe and supported setting increases the likelihood that you will complete the program successfully and maintain your sobriety after treatment ends. First, you must consider what your needs are and ensure the program you choose can meet your needs. What type of addiction are you trying to overcome? Do you have pre existing medical or mental health conditions that must be addressed as part of your treatment? Have you been to treatment before and experienced relapse? The answers to these questions and more factor into the decision-making process.
It is vital to choose and program where the treatment team is equipped to address your physical, psychological, and holistic needs. You must also consider the levels of care offered and the types of therapy used as part of your treatment program. Not all therapy models will work well for everyone. Your ability to immerse yourself in the program hinges on your comfort level with the treatment and the team guiding you on your recovery journey.
At Brightside Recovery in Rockford, IL, we offer a comprehensive outpatient program. We are the only outpatient program in the United States with a fully functional medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and therapy program. When you choose Brightside, our treatment team will work with you to design a treatment program based on you. Using a combination of one-to-one, group, and family therapies, we can help you achieve sobriety and lasting recovery.
At our rehab center in Rockford, Illinois, our highly skilled staff are experienced in treating various addictions, including alcohol, benzodiazepines, cocaine, meth, and Xanax. If you or a loved one struggles with addiction and are ready to start on your path to recovery, don’t wait another day to reach out to Brightside Recovery. Our virtual treatment program in Rockford, Il, can help you start working towards sobriety immediately. The team at Brightside Recovery is here to help you get sober. The treatment team at our Rockford, IL Rehab is ready to answer your questions and support you as you heal and overcome addiction.