Opioid overdose deaths are falling sharply across Chicago and Cook County — but the funding behind that progress may not last.

As reported by CBS News Chicago, a new report from Cook County Public Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health shows a 42% drop in opioid-related fatalities in the county since 2022, marking a major turnaround since the crisis peaked in 2023. Experts credit the decline to interventions like widely distributed Narcan and fentanyl test strips, which are helping residents stay safer even as dangerous drugs remain on the street.

Speaking with CBS, Dr. Dan Lustig, President and CEO of Haymarket Center — a Conlon Public Strategies client and the largest substance abuse, mental health, and primary care organization in Chicago — welcomed the news while cautioning that the work is far from finished. “The epidemic has changed, but it’s not over,” Lustig said.

Haymarket Center plays a central role in this fight, treating roughly 12,000 clients each year and operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Its programs, like many across the county, depend heavily on federal support. As CBS reports, Haymarket relies on three federal grants that are set to expire, with key funding beginning to close out as soon as September.

“This field literally lives and dies by grants,” Lustig told CBS. “Any little cut of a grant, it impacts us significantly.” His message is clear: sustained investment is essential to preserving the gains that are now saving lives. “What we do know is that if the funding’s there, treatment works, and treatment can be effective.”

As organizations like Haymarket race to secure alternative funding, the CBS Chicago report is a reminder that continued progress against the opioid crisis depends on the resources that made it possible.