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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate the Village of Mundelein
4Chief of Police Eric Guenther on receiving the Dr. Nathan Davis
5Award for Outstanding Government Service, the American Medical
6Association's (AMA) top government service award; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Chief Guenther spearheaded the award-winning "A
8Way Out" program, Lake County's response to the opioid abuse
9crisis, which allows law enforcement to place people with
10opioid use disorder into substance abuse treatment programs as
11an alternative to arrest and prosecution through the criminal
12justice system; and
 
13    WHEREAS, "A Way Out" has the participation of several
14police departments throughout Lake County and has created
15partnerships with every treatment center in the county; the
16relationship between law enforcement and drug users has been
17changed, making departments themselves a starting point in the
18recovery process; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The program was immediately successful, with the
20first patient entering a participating police station just one
21day after the program was announced in June 2016; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, "When confronted with an opioid epidemic that has
2overwhelmed police departments and first responders across the
3country, Chief Guenther found an innovative solution that is
4working for his community and giving people with substance use
5disorder a chance at recovery," said AMA Board Chair Jack
6Resneck Jr. M.D.; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Chief Guenther was one of eight honorees chosen;
8the award, named for the founding father of the American
9Medical Association, recognizes elected and career officials
10in federal, state, or municipal service whose outstanding
11contributions have promoted the art and science of medicine and
12the betterment of public health; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
14HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
15we congratulate the Village of Mundelein Chief of Police Eric
16Guenther on receiving the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for
17Outstanding Government Service, and we commend his work to
18shape a productive, treatment-based response to the opioid
19abuse epidemic; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to Chief Guenther as an expression of our esteem and
22respect.