Treatment Alternatives for Stronger Communities introduces a fresh program during a June 16 press conference, advancing its hands-on strategy for behavioral health and neighborhood safety.

Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Time: Media check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. CDT; Remarks begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. CDT
Location: TASC Headquarters, 700 S. Clinton St., Chicago, IL 60607
Interview Opportunities: On-site interviews with TASC leadership and VIP speakers immediately following the remarks.

, /PRNewswire/ -- After five decades of the justice system addressing public health issues through punishment and red tape, TASC announces a shift toward community-focused solutions with its new overdose initiative.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, TASC will hold a press event at its Chicago headquarters to reveal a refreshed identity and a direct-action program aimed at Illinois' key justice and health challenges. Leadership will be joined by top state and local officials, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, U.S. Representative Danny K. Davis, Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch, and Illinois Chief Behavioral Health Officer Dr. Inger Burnett-Zeigler.

At the event, TASC will outline its push into a vital area: In response to the ongoing overdose crisis, TASC, the Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago Recovery Alliance, The Puerto Rico Project, and the South Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force are rolling out a joint overdose prevention effort across Chicago's South Side. Beginning June 23, the program will deliver practical overdose prevention education and broaden access to life-saving tools, including naloxone kits and test strips to detect contaminants, with emphasis on reaching those at greatest risk and linking them to support, especially during the critical 72-hour period after release from jail or treatment. The program receives funding from a grant by the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery.

A Fresh Identity and Strong Data Results

Marking its move from a compliance-focused model for safe communities, the organization has officially updated its name to Treatment Alternatives for Stronger Communities.

"For 50 years, TASC has bridged gaps, assisting people as they move through intense systems and toward recovery, stability, and community," said Joel K. Johnson, chief executive officer of TASC. "Our updated name captures what we have gained from this effort: Stronger communities grow when people gain treatment, support, and genuine opportunity rather than sinking further into systems that were never built to aid their healing."

Central to this forward-looking update is TASC's Specialized Case Management model, a skilled support network that guides people through intricate legal and medical pathways where other methods stall. The model combines tailored substance use and behavioral health treatment, pre-arrest deflection, reentry support, and system accountability. This thorough approach yields strong results:

TASC boosts substance use treatment completion rates to 66%, well above the state average of 49%.
TASC and community-based substance use treatment average $4,200 per participant, saving substantial taxpayer dollars compared to the $30,000 to $45,000 estimated cost for one year of prison.

"A long-time advocate for public health and alternatives to incarceration, I have led efforts to reform pillars of Illinois government, including criminal justice, education and workforce development, economic access, equity, and opportunity, and health care and human services," said Illinois Senate Assistant Majority Leader Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago), convener of the Southside Heroin and Opioid Task Force. "TASC has helped thousands of people change the course of their lives. Everyone deserves a second chance. TASC supports people in their most vulnerable moments interacting with police, courts, emergency rooms and shelters. For five decades, TASC has held to a redemptive, people-centered vision rooted in dignity, recovery and resilience."

A community support system provides the essential link in assuring personal responsibility, making the criminal justice system function as intended. When people fail to appear or follow through on court orders, law enforcement again assumes the cost of securing warrants, arrest and pretrial incarceration. With ongoing check-ins, warm hand-offs to treatment and recovery services, court date reminders and problem solving around crises, TASC interrupts a cycle of personal and community instability.

"TASC acts as a trusted, non-judgmental intermediary so that people can succeed in alternatives to incarceration and supportive reentry services. Our collaboration has reduced the burden on courts and jails and made our communities stronger," said Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle.

This operational expertise also fuels TASC's national and international consulting and technical assistance division, the Center for Health and Justice (CHJ). While TASC delivers restorative impact on the ground in Illinois, CHJ acts as its systems-change engine. CHJ translates Illinois' frontline practice into global policy, training, and implementation support, transforming public safety and public health systems at scale.

"This milestone is an incredible achievement for TASC and all the people it has supported over the past 50 years," said Dulce M. Quintero, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). "Behavioral health is a critical component of community well-being. For decades before it became standard practice, TASC has worked across the silos of behavioral health services and community support. As these services continue to evolve, we know TASC will be there producing better health outcomes for Illinois communities."

About TASC

Treatment Alternatives for Stronger Communities (TASC) is a recognized health-justice integrator providing comprehensive, wraparound services for individuals and families navigating the criminal legal, child welfare, and healthcare systems. Beyond providing direct community care across Illinois, TASC drives national and global systemic change through its Center for Health and Justice (CHJ), which currently drives system-mapping, consulting, and training across 48 states and over 1,600 U.S. communities. Learn more at tasc.org.

Media Contact:
Allie Kuopus
Purpose Brand
262-957-6020

SOURCE Treatment Alternatives for Stronger Communities