JOLT Foundation in Peoria responds to changing needs, drug trends

PEORIA (25News Now) -The JOLT Foundation in Peoria is seeing a need for change among those struggling with drug and substance use and is now expanding its services to adapt.

According to JOLT leaders, a need for community and a sense of belonging is driving some of the changes. Another factor is the changing environment surrounding the types of drugs being distributed in the area over the past few years.

New services will include secure, private mobile supply orders, peer-to-peer chat support, peer-facilitated support groups, expanded block-by-block naloxone distribution now reaching Tazewell County, one-on-one peer support drop-in hours and more.

The goal is to make people feel more “empowered” to get help by giving them the opportunity to have “self autonomy” to look through different available resources that fit their individual needs.

“A lot of our folks, they come in in a hurry. Like a drive through model they want to just come in and get their order and they want to bounce right and go on,” said Christopher Schaffner, executive director of the JOLT Foundation.

“This kind of finds that nice balance where people can be connected in meaningful ways, in ways that are therapeutically beneficial to them. And then ways that maintain privacy and expediency looking for that too.”

Schaffner said JOLT is also hearing about environmental stressors impacting people who are struggling with substance and drug use. Some of those factors include high gas prices and growing stigma surrounding addiction.

Schaffner said he sees people coming in who need a safe place to access resources in a more private manner, while others stay at JOLT for longer periods of time.

He said feedback from those who have already tried the services has been receptive, with the changes making the exchange feel less “transactional.”

“I don’t know if anyone [you know] has struggled with substance abuse, but often times environmental stimulus can feel pretty overwhelming,” said Schaffner.

“As you’re dealing with day to day, loudness and the movement – it’s a lot all the time. And we live in a world that is inundated with visual and audible clutter and noise all the time. We’ve tried to really minimize that to make this more of a calmer, therapeutic environment for folks when they come in here. And just let their nervous system relax for a few minutes.”

Beyond those stressors, JOLT is also seeing changes in local substance use.

According to Schaffner, JOLT has seen less fentanyl being consumed and fewer fentanyl test strips being handed out. Although fentanyl remains the most common opioid JOLT has seen consumed in the area, Schaffner said there has been an increase in methamphetamine and novel psychoactive substances, along with a significant increase in injected methamphetamine.

He said the change is partly due to the crackdown on fentanyl distribution across the country.

Nitazenes, a class of extremely potent synthetic benzimidazole opioids, and benzodiazepines, which are primarily prescribed for anxiety, are among other drugs JOLT has recently noticed in the area.

JOLT says its efforts have already contributed to a 50% reduction in fatal overdose cases in Peoria County, while national numbers have increased by roughly 30%.

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