In this Issue:

• News
• Events & Webinars
• Community Resources
• Los Recursos Familial en Español
• Family Resources in English
• Job Opportunities

Wisconsinites who are eligible to vote are encouraged to update their registration and visit their local polling station tomorrow, Tuesday, April 4, to vote!

To learn more about the candidates in your area and the referendums included on this election's ballot, visit myvote.wi.gov here.

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, brings actionable data, evidence, guidance and stories to support community-led efforts to grow community power and improve health equity.

This year's focus is on the connection between civic health and thriving people and places. Especially of note in this year's report: youth voters had the highest turnout in the Midwest and Northern states, as well as highest participation in the U.S. Census of 2020.

As the project creators note, history shows that when previously disenfranchised groups built power and expressed their will through voting and advocacy, the policies that followed benefited the health and well-being of all. For example, The Civil Rights Act, which included hospital desegregation, is associated with health improvement.

From 1965 through 1971, infant mortality rates dropped significantly and the gap between Black and white infant mortality narrowed. This followed the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, which fundamentally shifted electoral power in the U.S. and ushered in a new era of government responsiveness to Black voter participation and marginalized populations.

Learn more about the county health rankings here, and how civic infrastructure provides Milwaukeeans with spaces to meet, make our voices heard, engage in cultural activities, enjoy nature and create a community where we all belong!

"As with last year’s proposal, this plan prioritizes what people with lived experiences, their families and friends, and our partners told us is needed to address the state’s opioid crisis," said Paul Krupski, DHS Director of Opioid Initiatives.

Priorities for this proposal include:

• Increasing the availability of Narcan® and fentanyl test strips statewide via existing DHS programs ($4 million).
• $1.5 million to maintain the availability of Narcan® statewide via the DHS Narcan® Direct Program through community provider agencies.
• $500,000 to maintain a statewide distribution of fentanyl test strips via the DHS fentanyl test strip direct program through community providers.
• $1 million to sustain the EMS Leave Behind Program providing EMS agencies with Narcan® and fentanyl test strips.
• $750,000 to sustain the DHS Law Enforcement Narcan® Direct Program
• $250,000 to sustain providing fentanyl test strips to law enforcement agencies participating in the DHS Law Enforcement Narcan® Direct program.
• One-time capital projects ($3 million)
• Capital projects to expand prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and/or recovery services statewide.
• Prevention ($1 million)
• Implementation of K-12 evidence-based substance use prevention programming. 

In 2022, the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) announced final approval of an agreement with the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors (Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen) and Johnson & Johnson.

The AAMC Center for Health Justice will host policy and clinical care experts from The Whitman-Walker Institute and Transhealth to discuss the current landscape of anti-transgender legislation, learn the facts about gender-affirming medical care, and hear from health care professionals about providing this life-affirming care to patients.

As of March 1, 2023, all states have ended the expanded SNAP benefits available during the first few years of the pandemic. This webinar will take place on Wednesday, April 5, at 1 p.m.

Presenters in this UW-Madison Institute for Research on Poverty webinar will examine the role of food assistance in the U.S. social safety net, how SNAP was adjusted to respond to public health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, assessments of those interventions, and how policymakers and practitioners can use lessons learned to improve on the program’s efficacy and impact moving forward.

Boswell Book Company hosts an evening with Jennifer LW Fink, author of "Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World that Misunderstands Males."

We want to raise well-rounded human beings—we're just not quite sure how best to do it. Building Boys is written by an in-the-trenches #boymom who intimately understands male development and the challenges currently facing boys and their families.

Fink offers ten rules that parents can use to guide their parenting choices throughout their sons’ lives—guidelines that are as relevant to parenting toddlers as they are to parenting teenagers. This event will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on April 11 at Boswell Book Company, 2559 N. Downer Ave.

Vaping remains a huge problem for teens both at school and at home, not just with nicotine vapes, but also for THC and marijuana products. Join Dr. Aaron Weiner, President of the Society of Addiction Psychology, for an exploration of vaping, including flavor restrictions, federal regulations, and THC products sold at gas stations. This webinar will be held from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. on April 11.

Providing affirmative care has been shown to improve outcomes for LGBTQ+ clients in mental health and substance use disorder treatment. An underappreciated component of affirmative care is facilitating conversations about sexual health that positively engages LGBTQ+ clients in the treatment process.

Segments of the LGBTQ+ community experience higher rates of mental health and substance use disorders or engage in ChemSex behaviors, all of which can contribute to higher rates of sexually transmitted infections. Behavioral health providers have an ethical responsibility to facilitate sexual health conversations and address the connection between mental health, sexual health and substance use disorders. This interactive workshop is designed to improve treatment outcomes and client engagement by integrating sexual health into mental health and substance use disorder treatment. 

This presentation from the Center of Excellence LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on April 13.

Join The Parenting Network to celebrate Family Strengthening Month. Get inspired by parent stories, enjoy beautiful family portraits on display and connect with fellow community members -- and kids are welcome! This event is Thursday, April 13, at 6 p.m. Registration required at the link below!

Mental Health America of Wisconsin is hosting this virtual two-day conference to be held April 13 and 14. This year’s theme is Holding Space, and our intention is to hold space for our communities and various practices of prevention. Suicide is not just a mental health issue, but a public health issue that requires us to think bigger and collaborate across communities and professions to build a world worth living in.

We must hold space for the field of suicide prevention to grow and change through the incorporation of peer support, social justice and lived experience. We will explore current efforts in Wisconsin, what’s working and what we could be doing better, and continue to imagine a world worth living in. We hope you’ll join us to learn ideas and skills you can take back to your work and communities! 

ECOM Workshop:

Harm Reduction/AODA Services

Wednesday, April 19

The Empowerment Coalition of Milwaukee (ECOM) is a monthly gathering of social services professionals, advocates, and consumers organized by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute.

ECOM meets the third Wednesday of the month throughout the year (except December) and explores topics that are vital to Milwaukee’s human services professionals. This month's topic is Harm Reduction/AODA. This workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on April 19 at Community Advocates, 728 N. James Lovell St. Fee is $5 for light refreshments.

QPR Question Persuade Refer Suicide Prevention Training Wednesday, April 19

The QPR mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training. The signs of crisis are all around us. We believe that quality education empowers all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know.

This two-hour interactive introduction to suicide awareness and prevention will also cover statistics and intervention strategies. This virtual workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on April 19.

10 Tips to Reduce Conflict: Practical Verbal De-Escalation Techniques

Thursday April 20

During this two-hour virtual workshop, you will learn how to increase safety by utilizing verbal de-escalation techniques. Participants will explore foundational information on how to reduce the level of conflict through self-knowledge, understand how past experiences influence current behavior, and practice 10 tips of de-escalation.

This workshop is aimed toward individuals who encounter conflict in the workplace, at home, or in the community, whether you are a parent or educator, work in the helping professions, or otherwise work with the public in potentially tense situations. This online workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on April 20.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Friday, April 21

Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.

The virtual course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.

Adult Mental Health First Aid

 Wednesday, April 26

Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.

This training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.

NAMI Wisconsin Annual Conference 2023 Friday, April 28 & Saturday, April 29

The NAMI Wisconsin Annual Conference is a two-day event for everyone interested in mental health.

The event hosts approximately 300 attendees including peers, family members, mental health providers, advocates, social workers, clinicians, government officials, and criminal justice partners. The conference includes keynote speakers and a variety of workshops designed to give attendees as much information and resources as possible.

This conference will be held April 28-29 at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake.

Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit

May 15-18

This event highlights prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery strategies related to opioids, stimulants, and trauma. All people with an interest in building healthy communities are invited to attend. 

The Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit is organized by the Division of Care and Treatment Services and Wisconsin Connect, a service of the Center for Urban Population Health. The Center of Urban Population Health is made up of faculty and staff from the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, UW-Milwaukee, and Advocate Aurora Research Institute. 

National Violent Death Reporting System Conference

May 16-18

Held in Milwaukee from May 16-18, NVDRS seeks to engage with an array of stakeholders who will showcase findings from the NVDRS and demonstrate how the use of NVDRS data has helped to develop, expand and sustain violence prevention programs and other related efforts.



The deadline to register is April 14.

Hey, there,

-- do you have:



• Job openings?
• Upcoming events?
• News to share?
• Suggestions?

Forward the information to Prevention@CommunityAdvocates.net.

Thank you for your service to Milwaukee!

Transgender Youth Handbook

Co-authored with the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Trans Youth Handbook is a legal resource guide that covers the rights of trans youth across such a wide spectrum of situations, including identity documents, school, health care, non-affirming care environments, and work.

Read this resource here!

988 suicide lifeline expanding LGBTQ services

The government-backed 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQ pilot program is now offering text and chat services 24/7 in what officials are calling a "major step forward" for the multimillion-dollar prevention program.

Learn more about this resource here!

Small Talks: How WI Prevents Underage Drinking

Why should you talk to kids about alcohol? Underage drinking is a real problem in Wisconsin, and it starts earlier and can be more dangerous than you might think. But parents, loved ones, and other caring adults can make a real difference.

All you have to do is talk. That’s right. Having small, casual conversations with kids, starting around age 8, can help prevent underage drinking. Learn more about Small Talks here.

Aprendizaje sobre Orientación Sexual,Identidad de Género y Expresión(SOGIE, por sus siglas en inglés)

Este video, creado por el Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity (CoE LGBTQ+ BHE, por sus siglas en inglés) (Centro de Excelencia en Equidad en Salud Mental y Adicciones LGBTQ+ ), revisa la terminología básica que es importante conocer cuando se trabaja con personas que tienen diversas orientaciones sexuales o identidades de género.

Esta terminología incluye el sexo asignado al nacer, la identidad de género, la expresión de género y la orientación sexual.

Learning About Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression (SOGIE)

This video, created by the Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity (CoE LGBTQ+ BHE), reviews basic terminology that is important to know when working with people who have diverse sexual orientations or gender identities.

This terminology includes sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.

Job Opportunities

1. Bread of Healing Clinic - Executive Director
2. Community Advocates Public Policy Institute - Mental Health and Wellness Coordinator
3. Community Advocates Public Policy Institute - Prevention Coordinator - Drug Free Communities
4. Guest House of Milwaukee Inc - Housing Coordinator, Advocates and Case Manager
5. Neighborhood House of Milwaukee - Executive Director
6. Pathfinders - Director of Housing Services
7. Pathfinders - Senior Manager of Anti-Violence Services
8. Wisconsin Community Services - Youth Advocate Community Improvement
9. Wisconsin PATCH - Milwaukee Site Coordinator

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute | 414-270-2950 

ppi.communityadvocates.net