The United States is the world leader in incarceration, with an estimated 355 people out of every 100, 000 residents being incarcerated at any given time. Each year, more than 600,000 people are released from state and federal prisons, back into the community, where they are expected to reintegrate into society (1). People who are incarcerated or have ever experienced imprisonment are more likely to experience higher rates of mental illness, infectious diseases, chronic disease, substance use, and overall mortality compared to the general population (3).

Alison Mascarenhas MD & Rashid Kysia MD

Every single Emergency Department in the United States treats unhoused patients on a daily basis, and their needs vary greatly from ICU level care to the common cold. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, in January 2023, there were an estimated 653,104 people experiencing homelessness on a given night (1).

Amanda Dahl MD, Amel Pineda MD, and Rashid Kysia MD

In Chicago alone, over 1500 people died from overdose in 2023. Nationwide, the numbers are only getting worse, and the same will likely happen in our backyard. Here we review options for managing opioid use disorder in the City of Chicago to help prevent whatever harm possible.

Priyanka Pradhan, MD