Elk Grove Village Cares, the groundbreaking initiative that has removed barriers to substance use disorder treatment for hundreds of Chicago-area residents, has been awarded a Local Government Excellence Award in the “Program Excellence” category by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).
The Local Government Excellence Award “recognizes influential contributions to local government management and demonstrates how the profession enhances the quality of life in our cities, towns, and counties,” according to the ICMA, the world’s leading association of professional city and county managers and other employees who serve local governments.
The Village of Elk Grove launched the program in 2018 and is the first of its kind in the Chicago area that provides a wide array of services to those seeking treatment for opioid, narcotics and alcohol addiction.
Elk Grove Village Cares puts compassion first. It aims to divert individuals with addiction challenges away from the traditional criminal justice system and into treatment and support services. Under the program, anyone seeking to enter an addiction recovery program can contact the Elk Grove Village Police Department, which will then connect them to one of several partner organizations that provide substance abuse recovery services.
The program, which is funded almost entirely by state and federal grants, is accessible to anyone, regardless of their ability to pay for treatment.
Since its inception in 2018, there have been nearly 470 connections to addiction treatment via Elk Grove Village Cares. Nearly 90 individuals reached out to Elk Grove Village Cares in 2025.
The program also provides free Narcan, an overdose-reversing medication, via a vending machine in the lobby of Village Hall. Anyone who thinks they need to have Narcan nasal sprays on hand can retrieve them any time of day from the machine. Since the machine was installed in 2023, more than 700 units of Narcan have been dispensed.
“We’re honored to be recognized as an international leader in developing innovative ways to attack the disease of addiction,” said Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson. “But more importantly, we’re hopeful that as awareness of Elk Grove Village Cares increases, more local governments will take on this very stubborn challenge in the name of helping people and making communities safer and healthier.”
Elk Grove Village Cares, according to the ICMA, “brought together numerous stakeholders, and the police department has been able to build and maintain these strong relationships to keep the program in operation. Acting quickly when someone needs help is key to success, and having trusted, reliable treatment partners allows this to happen easily. The program’s success has been recognized by multiple state and federal agencies and showcases the importance of local government managers in community health and safety. Ultimately, the availability of these resources leads to a safer, healthier community for all.”
Additional information about the Elk Grove Village Cares program is available on the Village website at elkgrove.org/egvcares.
