159 - The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and the Rapidly Escalating Opioid Crisis in Chicago

Chicago has seen drastic increases in opioid-related overdoses and deaths compared to 2019—an uptick that started prior to the arrival of COVID. Dr. Wilnise Jasmin, Medical Director for Behavioral Health, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how the pandemic has exacerbated the opioid epidemic while, at the same time, opening up new opportunities, and how Chicago's response to COVID-19 includes addressing the mental health needs of its citizens.

KEYWORDS: stress management; substance use; community mental health