The first few weeks of school can be a difficult time for students, especially if they are in a new school, recovering from a loss, or aren’t confident in their abilities. Fortunately, Mental Health America created a Back to School toolkit with a special emphasis on coping with stress and loneliness.

The two issues are top of mind for most students. According to MHA’s recent survey, 48% of 11-17 year olds felt that they are “very stressed.” What’s causing it? Getting good grades, preparing for the future, loneliness, body appearance, and juggling priorities. Unfortunately, 83% say that they do not have an adult in their life who understands what they are going through.

MHA’s Back to School toolkit includes fact sheets about loneliness, stress, how to cope with these issues, and media bites and graphics for your use. The toolkit also points to MHA’s free, confidential, and anonymous screening tools, which includes a special section for young people. 

Dr. Michael McNett is presenting "Alternatives to Opioids in Treating Acute and Chronic Pain" for primary care physicians, specialty physicians, allied health professionals, nurses, social workers and staff on September 24.

Participants will learn why opioids should only be used as a last resort in treating acute and chronic pain, and which non-opioid medications and techniques treat acute and chronic pain.

Dr. McNett is the medical director for chronic pain at Aurora Greater Milwaukee South, and Physician Faculty, Opioid Prescribing Education, at the Wisconsin Medical Society.

This free two-hour course, with lunch afterwards, has been approved by the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board as meeting the requirements for the two-hour continuing education course on responsible opioid prescribing per Med 13.03(3) of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

It’s presented by the Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention coalition (MCSAP) and the Wisconsin Medical Society , and will be held at Aurora Sinai Medical Center – Rapkin Auditorium, 945 N. 12th St., Milwaukee, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Tuesday, September 24. Register for the September 24 session here.

Join the Alliance for Wisconsin Youth and the Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition for this one-of-a-kind look at our drinking culture, both nationally and in Wisconsin, and what local advocates and elected officials can to do prevent the harm associated with problematic alcohol consumption.

October 8: There Has Always Been Drinking in America: Alcohol, History, Culture, and What It All Means for Prevention

This keynote by the University of Wyoming’s Rodney Wambeam, Ph.D., explores America’s cultural relationship to alcohol, from the 13 colonies to Prohibition to today’s music and movies.

October 9: Don’t React: Create Your Alcohol Environment: Learn How Coalition Leaders and Residents Can Shape a Community’s Alcohol Environment

Julia Sherman of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project will explain how coalition leaders and concerned residents can make local licensing decisions and related policies that can improve a community’s quality of life and public safety.

October 10: Creating a Local Environment: Learn How Local Elected Officials Can Shape a Community’s Alcohol Environment

Elected officials are invited to this session on local licensing decisions and related policies that can improve a community’s quality of life and public safety. Presented by Julia Sherman of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project.

All sessions will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Volunteer Center, 225 W. Vine St., Milwaukee. They’re free, but RSVPs are required at this link. Questions? Contact Jazzmyne Adams, Coordinator, Southeast Region of the Alliance for Wisconsin Youth, at 414-270-4658 or jadams@communityadvocates.net

Do you work with families or kids who are at risk of being separated because of suspected abuse? Are you involved in the foster care system? Are you concerned about the health and wellbeing of children in our community? If so, you’re invited to join the Milwaukee Child Abuse Prevention Services coalition’s policy committee, which meets the second Monday of each month. The more advocates, parents, and professionals we have around the table, the better our services and advocacy will be. In October, we’ll learn about the state’s Drug Endangered Children Program and discuss if or how it can be implemented in Milwaukee. Please join us on Monday, October 14, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., at the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, 225 W. Vine St., Milwaukee. Questions? Contact Kari Lerch at klerch@communityadvocates.net. 

Want to help us connect with high school students and their parents? Volunteer for a Thursday Night Lights football game!

The Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention coalition (MCSAP) and our community partners are doing prevention outreach and providing Dose of Reality materials to fans of high school football this fall.

We’ll be at the following games:

Each of these games will be broadcast on My24 and will be livestreamed (and archived) on My24Milwaukee.com as part of its Thursday Night Lights coverage.

Interested in volunteering at a game? Email John Eshun at jeshun@communityadvocates.net. Thank you!

Employers looking for their next hire are invited to stop by the Southeast Wisconsin Reentry Employer Networking Expo to learn about the benefits of hiring returned citizens. Agencies that support formerly incarcerated individuals as they transition into the workplace will be on hand to explain their work and the successes they’ve had in helping returned citizens find and keep work. This no-cost expo will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center, 3501 S. Lake Drive, Milwaukee. Stop in anytime. Employers are encouraged but not required to RSVP at this link. 

The state Department of Public Instruction is organizing this conference on prevention, health, and wellness strategies to create positive school climates that build resilience and support students’ behavioral and mental health. Topics include Social Emotional Learning, trauma-responsive schools, vaping, LGBT students, and much more. The pre-conference session will be held on December 4 before the two-day conference begins on December 5. Click here for details and registration.

The Alliance for Wisconsin Youth is presenting this intensive two-day training for coalition coordinators with breakout sessions on specific substances, prevention CEUs, and Comedy Sportz. It’ll be held at the Milwaukee Sheraton-Brookfield on March 25 and 26, 2020. Contact Jazzmyne Adams with questions at jadams@communityadvocates.net.

The Milwaukee City-County Heroin, Opioid & Cocaine Task Force invited the community to learn more about the Milwaukee Fire Department’s Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI). In addition to the presentation, there will be resources, a meal, access to counselors, naloxone training, and a drop box so that you can safely dispose of your medication. Connections to Heal will be held on Wednesday, September 25, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Fire Station 31, 2400 S. Eighth St., Milwaukee. Kindly RSVP to cgeige@milwaukee.gov or 414-286-3524.

The Coalition on Lead Emergency’s Lead Free Summit aims to allow local elected officials and residents to air their concerns about lead in our homes and come up with solutions and commitments. It will be held at Hephatha Lutheran Church, 1720 W. Locust St., on Thursday, September 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 5:30) and will include a choir performance (5:45) along with the summit, refreshments and information table. For more information, call Hephatha Lutheran Church at 414-264-0234.

The Brain Architecture Game is a tabletop game experience that builds an understanding of the powerful role of experiences on early brain development. If your organization or community is embarking on a conversation about adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress, or other early childhood issues, The Brain Architecture Game can be a valuable resource for creating a common understanding and a common language on these topics. It’ll be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Greater Milwaukee Foundation, 101 W. Pleasant St., Milwaukee, on Friday, September 27.



This Community Advocates Public Policy Institute training is offered free of charge thanks to a ReCAST MKE grant from the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention . RSVPs are required at this link .

The Oak Creek Health Department and Lions International are offering this afternoon health fair with free health screenings and services, including blood pressure testing, balance screenings, information about substance abuse prevention, and more. It’ll be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Oak Creek Community Center, 8580 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek. 

Rogers InHealth, MIRACLE, and Milwaukee Public Schools are sponsoring this full-day session on the Compassion Resilience Toolkit for those who wish to take the toolkit to their colleagues and reduce compassion fatigue. This training is especially useful for teams made up of one administrator and two or three people who will facilitate with staff. Register by emailing Alexis at alexis.essien@rogersbh.org. This training is free and lunch is included. 

Families Moving Forward presents Pieces, a theatrical production by Brenda Wesley depicting youth as they deal with the stigma and labels of mental health issues. This free production will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, at the African American Women’s Center, 3020 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee. A community resource fair will run from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) is sponsoring its second annual state Summit on Opioids and Meth. The summit will feature trends in drug trafficking, interdiction, and treatment, along with model law enforcement, recovery, prevention, and harm reduction partnerships that reduce addiction and enhance recovery. Cost is $75 per person. The summit will be held October 15 and 16 at Grand Geneva Resort and Spa. Get details and register here.

Cannabis laws and policies are rapidly changing. Decriminalization and medicinal and recreational use policies are debated, and passed through legislatures and ballot boxes. Amid all of this change, where does prevention fit in? This webinar will show how these policies can evolve. Participants will understand the implications for public health and safety and the role of prevention. This webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 25, from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Click here to register.

CADCA and its initiative, the Geographic Health Equity Alliance , will present a special edition of the webinar series "Conversations: Putting Research into Action," on Friday, September 27, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., which will discuss how to improve public health communications. Annie Neimand and Ann Christiano of the Center for Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida will explain "The Science of What Makes People Care." To register, please click here . 

This self-paced online course is open to all and provides context for professionals new to substance abuse prevention and mental health promotion. Register here.

This free, self-paced online training will cover up-to-date science as well as case students so that participants can apply new knowledge to familiar scenarios to enhance their engagement with high-risk young children and families. Register here.

This no-cost 1.5-hour webinar offers a framework based in brain science to develop and deliver exceptional presentations using the tools and resources you already have. Register here.

To mark September as National Suicide Awareness Month, SAMHSA has released more resources, including new videos. Click on this link for resources, data, and videos.