The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued an updated standing order that adds Illinois public libraries to the list of locations that are permitted to keep a supply of opioid overdose reversal agents on hand and to allow trained staff to administer them in the event of a suspected overdose on their premises. The revised standing order will make it easier for libraries to comply with new provisions of the Illinois Local Library Act, which will take effect on January 1, 2026.

The order, which was signed by IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra, builds on his previous standing order from January 2024, which allowed schools to maintain a supply of reversal agents to help counteract the effects of an opioid overdose. Under the updated standing order, libraries can now obtain naloxone or nal

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