Welcome to our May newsletter!

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Wisconsin CONNECT is a collaborative. We seek to provide technical assistance and training opportunities for substance use prevention and treatment grantees, providers, clinicians, social workers, and support staff.

We draw on local and national academic and community resources to reduce and prevent substance use and improve overall health and wellness in Wisconsin.

To that end, we want to help you connect the dots with this newsletter. It is a tool to support our efforts to promote new research, share tools and trainings that aim to help you engage in different communities, enhance practice and improve the health of your clients and program participants.

Next week is the 2025 Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit!

The 2025 Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit May 6-8 is dedicated to connecting you to the people and resources to build healthy communities. 

You can expect:

• Four keynote presentations.
• Actionable strategies to save lives presented in more than 30 breakout sessions.
• Opportunities to network with more than 750 people who share your interest in protecting the health and safety of the people of Wisconsin. 

Attend in person in the Wisconsin Dells (Kalahari Resort) or virtually. 

Bonus! In-person attendees who participate in the Interagency Council on Mental Health listening session have an opportunity to grab a Real Talks Wisconsin t-shirt while supplies last. All in-person attendees also have the opportunity to pick up printed materials and harm reduction supplies to support their work. 

The agenda has been updated with new information.

See the full agenda and information on how to register to attend.

Registration closes at 12 p.m. May 6. 

Continuing education credits are available for people who attend the live event either in person or virtually.

If you've already registered for this event, check your email for a message on how to access Whova, the conference portal. You need to access Whova either through a web browser or the app in order to participate in this conference on-site or virtually. 

Rural Health Research

from Rural Health Research Gateway

Federal and State Reimbursement for Youth Behavioral Health Services. 

Among the findings in this brief from the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center:

• Medicaid reimbursement and coverage policies for behavioral health professionals vary across and within states.
• A review of individual state Medicaid manuals indicates that social workers and psychologists are eligible for Medicaid reimbursement for behavioral health services in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are eligible for reimbursement by all but two state Medicaid programs.
• All 50 states and the District of Columbia allow reimbursement of social workers and psychologists for behavioral health services provided through school-based Medicaid programs, while approximately one-third of states omit MFTs from the list of providers eligible for reimbursement within school-based Medicaid programs.

Treating Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy with Buprenorphine Improves Maternal, Infant Health

from Rollins School of Public Health

A new study in JAMA Health Forum from researchers at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine found that pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) who received buprenorphine treatment had lower rates of adverse outcomes compared to those who did not receive treatment.

Find more information here.

Recovery Movement and How to Get Involved

from Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR)

Wednesday May 14

2:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. ET

This two-hour webinar will discuss the background and origins of the recovery advocacy movement and its current priorities. The ORN training presents effective advocacy methods and describes how to get involved in the recovery advocacy movement. 

Learn more here.

Rise & Recover

from Milwaukee County Overdose Prevention Team at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center

Tuesday, May 6

11a.m.- 3p.m. CT

Join the Milwaukee County Overdose Prevention Team at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center for a day of mental health awareness and community support. Celebrate recovery, learn about overdose prevention, and experience demonstrations on how to use Narcan and fentanyl test strips. There will be food, music, and an opportunity to connect with local resources dedicated to supporting mental health and addiction recovery. 

Washington Park Community Health & Wellness Fair

Saturday, May 17

Live healthier and safer while having fun at the Washington Park Community Health and Wellness Fair. Stop by for health workshops and screenings, stress and anxiety management, mental health providers, and much more. 

Attendees will receive information to give you and your family the opportunity to live healthier, better, and happier!

This event will be held at the Urban Ecology Center, 1859 N. 40th St., Milwaukee from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 17. 

For more information, contact the Urban Ecology Center at 414-344-5460.

Prenatal Substance Exposure Training

from Creating a Family

Creating a Family offers evidence-based, trauma-informed workshops and training for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents and professionals to understand and learn strategies to support children exposed prenatally to alcohol and drugs.

Based on extensive research, the US government estimates that 10-11% of all children born in the US have been impacted by prenatal alcohol or drug exposure. The rate of prenatal exposure for kids connected to the child welfare system is significantly higher. Their challenging symptomatic behaviors create tremendous stress on parents and caregivers, resulting in these kids experiencing a significantly higher rate of placement disruptions.

Find training opportunities and learn more here.

MATRIX Trainings

from Wisconsin CONNECT

We have MATRIX trainings on the calendar! Here is what's upcoming:

Peer Recovery

Wednesday, May 21and

Thursday, May 22

9:00a.m.-4:00p.m. CT

both days

virtual

Register here

Motivational Interviewing for Peers

Friday, May 23

9:00a.m.-4:00p.m. CT

virtual

Register here

For more topics and dates, find them on our MATRIX page.

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Jails, Prisons and Reentry: Evidence and Practical Approaches

from American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) in partnership with the Providers Clinical Support System-Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (PCSS-MOUD)

Tuesday May 27, 2025

12:00p.m. - 1:00p.m. ET

This session explores the clinical and policy landscape of providing patients with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in jails, prisons and reentry settings. It will review recent research on the effectiveness of MOUD in reducing overdose and improving post-release treatment engagement. The session highlights key differences among methadone, buprenorphine and extended-release naltrexone, including regulatory and logistical considerations unique to correctional environments. Learners will examine policy updates, case-based examples, and implementation strategies that support evidence-based treatment access. The session also addresses interdisciplinary collaboration, diversion concerns, and continuity of care across incarceration and reentry. 

Learn more here.

Empathy Lens: Humanizing Images and Education for Reducing Stigma Against People Who Use Drugs

from Northwest Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Collaborative (Region 10)

Thursday May 29, 2025

3:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. ET

Research has shown that using stigmatizing language and imagery related to substance use perpetuates harmful stereotypes and health barriers among this already vulnerable population. Finding realistic, high-quality images to support information dissemination work is a constant struggle, as many asset collections, including fee-based stock photo sites, largely contain dehumanizing and/or factually incorrect graphics on this topic. The Empathy Lens project is a free online resource of accurate, compassionate, and non-stigmatizing images intended for health and service organizations to use in their outreach and educational efforts. This session will talk about the impact of harmful images and language on stigma and related health barriers for people who use drugs and provide guidance on where to find and how to select accurate, non-stigmatizing information and images to use in your work. 

Learn more here.

Adult Mental Health First Aid

from Community Advocates Public Policy Institute

Wednesday, May 28

9:00a.m. - 3:15p.m. CT

Adult Mental Health First Aid Training provides adults with the tools to assist other adults who may be developing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis. It teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. This training delivered by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may need help connecting to appropriate care. 

This training will be held via Zoom. Please register by May 20.

RSVP here.

Mental Health Resource Guide

from Community Advocates Public Policy Institute

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! What better way to honor it than to explore the mental health and wellness resources provided by a community-focused institution?

"Our commitment to providing expanded mental health and wellness learning opportunities includes providing mental health and wellness resources to community members. We encourage you to download, use, and share the resources listed below." -PPI

Find resources here.

Save the Date for 2025 Conferences

Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit

May 6-8

Hybrid. In-person at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

Prevent Suicide Wisconsin Conference

May 13 and May 16

In-person pre-conference in Milwaukee, WI. Virtual conference.

2025 Advances in Trauma Care

May 16

In-person at Rasmus/Overholt/Ross/ICE House in La Crosse, WI.

Trauma in Our Community Conference

June 17

Hybrid. In-person at UWM's Downtown Conference Center in Milwaukee, WI.

Harm Reduction Conference

July 16-17

Hybrid. In-person at the Chula Vista in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

Motivational Interviewing Conference

August 6-8

In-person at the Pyle Center in Madison, WI.

Substance Use Prevention Conference

September 10-11

Hybrid. In-person at the Chula Vista in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

Wisconsin Crisis Intervention Conference

September 18-19

In-person at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

Mental Health and Substance Use Recovery Conference

October 16-17

Hybrid. In-person at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI.