Members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies gathered to provide support and connection at Milwaukee’s first LGBTQ+ Youth Substance Use Prevention Summit at the Stackner Cabaret on August 8.

Organized by the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance, the 53206 Drug-Free Communities Project, and Safe & Sound’s 27th Street West Drug Free Coalition, the evening featured a resource fair, panel discussions, video presentations, dinner, and stage performances.

The evening offered a safe space to young LGBTQ+ individuals to ask questions, meet people, and feel empowered.

The power of personal connections is vitally important to living substance free and refraining from using drugs, alcohol, or nicotine while also making healthy decisions about your behavior, including sexual activity.

"Who you’re around really does influence what you do," said Stacy T. Clark, Program Coordinator for the Intersectionality Among Men (IAM) Project for Diverse & Resilient. 

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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 two dates in September.

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 Community Advocates Public Policy Institute 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 Friday, September 13, and Tuesday, September 23. Register for the September 13 session at this link and the September 24 session here.

The Social Development Commission and Marquette University are merging SDC’s Summit on Poverty and the Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM) conference for this 2019 Summit on Poverty for community leaders, human services professionals, educators, advocates, and allies. Details will be released soon.

The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force and the Make It Work Milwaukee Coalition are sponsoring this briefing on the 2020 budget requests sent to the county executive. Participants will hear from Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, as well as representatives from the budget department, the transit system, the House of Correction, Health and Human Services, and Aging Department. A short meeting of the task force will be held after the briefing. All are welcome to attend. This briefing will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13, at Independence First, 540 S. First St., Milwaukee. 

The MA’RUF Center for Youth Innovation is hosting this free back to school event with a talent show, book bag and supplies giveaway, free haircuts and styling, clothing and uniform giveaways, and much more. It’ll be held on Saturday, August 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the MA’RUF Center, 21st and Hampton. Sponsored by the MARUF Center, Hayat Pharmacy, Missionary Currie for Women and Children, and SaintA.

The nonprofit All4Kidz, which advocates for youth in the foster care system, is organizing a Youth vs. Adults Basketball fundraiser on from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, at COA Youth & Families Center, 909 W. Garfield Ave., Milwaukee. Cost for participating youth is $20, participating adults is $35, and guests can enter for $5. In addition to basketball, there will be food and beverages, auctions, a photo booth, halftime show, and a special guest. 

Dancers from across the community will perform to shed light on addiction during Dancers Against Substance Abuse Inc.’s second annual benefit performance, and substance use disorder treatment experts will share their stories. Proceeds will benefit Roots Recovery Houses. The performances will be held at 5 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, at the Danceworks Studio Theatre, 1661 N. Water St., Milwaukee. Purchase your tickets here.

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute is providing this free training for those who want to appropriately engage youth or adults who are at risk of suicide. It’ll be held at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, 101 W. Pleasant St., Milwaukee, from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20. Register now to reserve your seat. This training is free thanks to a ReCAST MKE grant from the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention. 

This two-day training presented by the Alma Institute explores the Motivational Interviewing technique to be used when guiding others toward the positive and healthy behavior change of their choice. It’ll be held on Wednesday, August 21, and Wednesday, August 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Welford Sanders Enterprise Center, 2821 Vel R. Phillips Ave., First Floor Conference Room, Milwaukee. Cost is $135. Get details and register here.

Waukesha County Suicide Prevention Initiative is offering this full-day professional development workshop presented by Stacey Freedenthal, Ph.D., LCSW, on the research and theories about suicidal ideation, as well as tips and techniques for helping the person with chronic suicidal thoughts or behavior. Freedenthal is the author of Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals and the creator of the website SpeakingOfSuicide.com . The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, August 23, at Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Trieber Auditorium, 725 American Ave., Waukesha. Cost is $50; includes coffee, light breakfast, and lunch. RSVP here.

Beyond the Book Bag Carnival is a family-friendly carnival-themed afternoon featuring games, a bounce house, food, and V100.7—as well as free book bags for the first 500 attendees. It’ll be held on Friday, August 23, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Moody Park, 2320 W. Burleigh St. It’s sponsored by COA Youth & Family Centers, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Northwestern Mutual, City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention, Safe & Sound, Amani United, Zeidler Center for Public Discussion, V100.7, Carvd N Stone, and Community Advocates Public Policy Institute-53206 Drug-Free Communities Project.

The City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance and allies are joining Surfrider MKE’s beach cleanup to rid the beach of unwanted trash and debris. It’s part of the coalition’s #HoldOnToYourButtMKE initiative and volunteers are welcome to join from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 24. Get details and sign up here.

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute is offering this no-cost session of the Brain Architecture Game, a tabletop game experience that builds understanding of the powerful impact early childhood experiences have on early brain development. It will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 29, at Community Advocates Training Center, 6900 W. Brown Deer Road, Milwaukee; RSVP here now. This session is free to attend thanks to a ReCAST MKE grant from the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention.

All are welcome to attend the Policy Committee of the Milwaukee Child Abuse Prevention Services Coalition (MCAPS), coordinated by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute . It meets the second Monday of every month from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, 225 W. Vine St., Milwaukee. The MCAPS Public Policy Committee promotes the creation and implementation of public policies and programs that afford all families the opportunity to live in safe, stable, and healthy environments. The committee gathers information for the identification of issues and performs advocacy to address system and structural challenges for children and families.

NAMI Greater Milwaukee’s free, 11-session Family-to-Family Education Program is for family, partners, friends, and allies of adults living with a mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia. The sessions will be held Wednesdays, beginning September 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at NAMI Greater Milwaukee, 3200 South Third St., Milwaukee. Register by calling 414-344-0447 or emailing [email protected].

Wisconsin Community Action Program (WISCAP) is organizing this two-day conference featuring four plenary sessions and more than 30 workshops on four tracks: Community Action and Everyday Forms of Assistance; Housing, Transportation, Job and Income Supports; Access to Health Care; and Research. Participants will examine the structural underpinnings of poverty and consider more effective anti-poverty policies and strategies. The 2019 Poverty Matters! Conference will be held on September 11 and 12 at Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids. Cost is $150-$200. Registration deadline is August 30. Register and get details here.

The Wisconsin Psychiatric Association is devoting its fall conference to suicide prevention with a look at risk factors for adolescents and young adults, mental health disparities and suicide, gun violence and suicide, and policy. The conference will be held September 12 & 13 at Saint Kate the Arts Hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee. In addition, a pre-conference train the trainer workshop will be held on Thursday, September 12, "Typical or Troubled? Engaging the Community in Early Recognition of Mental Health Concerns." Get details and register here.

Ascension’s Medical Mission at Home is a one-day health care event that provides free access to medical and dental care, medications and other services. The event is 100% free of charge to anyone who attends. The Mission is open to everyone, with a special focus on reaching those who are uninsured and underinsured. Interpreters will be available. The Medical Mission at Home will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at North Division High School, 1011 W. Center St., Milwaukee. For details, click here .

Support those in recovery by participating in this annual Walk for Recovery and block party to celebrate September as National Recovery Month. It begins at Alano Club, 1521 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, on Saturday, September 21, with registration at 9:30 and a speaker, awards, walk, and block party following. It’s organized by Milwaukee Walk for Recovery.

This new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine finds evidence that changes in brain structure and connectivity that happen in adolescence present young people with unique opportunities for positive, life-shaping development, and for recovery from past adversity. The report provides multiple recommendations for policy and practice that capitalize on these developmental opportunities and address inequities—such as in health care and education—that undermine the well-being of many adolescents and leave them less able to take advantage of the promise offered by this stage of life. Click here for the report, archived webinar and slides, and interactive webpage.

The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD) is seeking applications for their SPARKS Grants to allow local grassroots groups to organize to make changes in their communities that make the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) better, including individuals with diverse identities and/or individuals that are under-served. Grassroots community organizing means groups that are led by individuals with disabilities together with their allies, who are working on issues that are important to them. The two priority areas for this year’s grants are transportation and voting. Applications are due Friday, August 30. Get details here .

Homeless and transitional youth are invited to receive free consultations from attorneys who can provide advice on benefits, criminal matters, credit and consumer issues, public assistance, and more. Bring documentation that’s relevant to your case. The attorneys will be available from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Pathfinders, 4200 N. Holton St., Milwaukee, on August 14, 21, and 28. First come, first served. The attorneys are provided through Project Street Youth and State Bar of Wisconsin Young Lawyers Division.