Enter Take Back My Meds Milwaukee (TBMMM), a coalition solely devoted to making it easy, safe, and convenient to dispose of unwanted medication so that your meds won't get into the wrong hands. Another big benefit is keeping medication out of our waterways and, ultimately, our drinking water.

Tune in Monday, November 16, from 12-1:30 p.m. via Zoom for The state Department of Health Services will be presenting a new training opportunity in 2021: the Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit. This virtual event will feature keynotes and workshops on strategies to address the harmful use of opioids and stimulants n Wisconsin. Presentations will also focus on the intersection of trauma and harmful substance use. The 2021 Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit will be presented over three days: April 16, May 14, and June 18, 2021. Each day will feature a keynote presentation followed by three concurrent workshops. All participants will be required to register. The registration fee will be $50 per day or $125 for all three days. Click here for details.

The state Department of Health Services is accepting applications from local health departments or tribal health centers interested in grant funding to support the formation and facilitation of an Overdose Fatality Review Team. Local overdose fatality reviews bring together a variety of stakeholders to collect and share data to get a better understanding about the context and circumstances surrounding an overdose death to help inform prevention and response efforts. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. January 8, 2021. Get details here.

During these pandemic times we must continue to practice self-care. One of the most important activities we can do for ourselves is to get a good night’s sleep. The second installment of the Creating Healthy Homes Campaign, brought to you by Community Access to Recovery Services at BHD, is running through December 31. The campaign provides care bags, which include a sleep flyer, satin sleep therapy eye mask, and a laminated bedtime routine check list with dry erase marker. The care bags are available for pick up at BHD on Thursdays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Please email Nzinga.khalid@milwaukeecountywi.gov if you are interested.

The Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division is seeking partners for its Light & Unite RED initiative, a substance use prevention and awareness campaign it leads. Light & Unite RED runs in conjunction with National Drugs and Alcohol Facts Week, which will run March 22-March 28, 2021. BHD is inviting organizations to partner with them as they plan for a successful sixth year of raising cognizance that prevention works and recovery is possible. Please click here to register as a 2021 partner. Please respond by November 25 with your interest. Expect a Zoom planning meeting sometime in December.

You’re invited to BAM Milwaukee Town Hall meetings, a coordinated county-wide Suicide Prevention project to reduce the high rates of stress and suicide in Milwaukee County! There will be three Town Hall meetings as one strategy. The first, "BAM! (Break the stigma, Ask for help, Make the call) Milwaukee Kick Off Town Hall" will be Monday, November 23, at 6 p.m. Milwaukee County BHD will also hold a youth Town Hall on Friday, December 11, at 12 noon and an adult Town Hall on Friday, December 18, at 12 noon. Click this link to register for the kick-off event on Monday, and please share this information with your networks.

The Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (MCSAP) and the ARC Alliance invite you to this training on prevention initiatives for minority communities. This training will look into Building Health Equity and Addressing Health Disparities Compelling evidence exists that differences in health status, access to care, and the provision of physical and mental health services are significantly related to race, ethnicity, primary language, geography, and various measures of socioeconomic position, such as educational status, income, wealth, and conditions in childhood. The Building Health Equity and Addressing Health Disparities training will provide information to participants to be better equipped with complete and accurate data on the differences in health status, health equity, access to care, and the provision of service experienced by specific population groups in specific communities. It will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 24. RSVP here.

Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division, AMRI Counseling Services, and U R It Movement are sponsoring three webinars focused on suicide prevention. Click on the links below to register.

The Zoom sessions will be held on Tuesdays in December, from December 1 through December 22, from 6 to 7 p.m. Get details and register here.

This training from Region V Public Health Training Center will explore and challenge implicit bias by working with the architecture of the brain, not against it. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 12 noon on December 2. Register here.

Child and family service providers can enhance outcomes for children and families by engaging fathers, alongside mothers and other family members, in services. Father-specific parenting programs have been developed for groups including expectant and new fathers, young, low-income, and unmarried fathers. This webinar from UW-Madison’s Institute for Research on Poverty and Wisconsin Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Board will cover development, selection, and implementation of father-specific programming for different audiences. It will be held from 1-2 p.m. on December 2. RSVP here.

Join Advocate Aurora for this cancer-focused virtual conversation to celebrate the gift of life. Faith leaders, congregation members, community members, caregivers, and those impacted by cancer during the pandemic are encouraged to register for this free event. Click here to register. Email anya.gordon@aah.org with questions.

This monthly meeting, held on the first Friday of the month, is designed to introduce, refresh and clarify the Milwaukee County Children's Services programs to our community. Please join us on the first Friday of every month to: learn more about children’s programs in Milwaukee County including The Birth to 3 Program, The Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Waiver Program, Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP) and more, meet with Milwaukee County Support and Service Coordinators and Managers, and discover and share strategies to empower your child and family. The next session will be held on Friday, December 4, at from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Registration is required. Email childrenservices@milwaukeecountywi.gov to register. Please indicate session time, interpreter needs and required language. Sessions will be held on Microsoft Teams.

Esta reunión mensual, que se lleva a cabo el primer viernes del mes, está diseñada para presentar, actualizar y aclarar los programas de Servicios para Niños del Condado de Milwaukee a nuestra comunidad. Únase a nosotros el primer viernes de cada mes para: obtener más información sobre los programas para niños en el condado de Milwaukee, incluido el Programa Birth to 3, el Programa de Exención de Apoyo a Largo Plazo para Niños (CLTS), el Programa de Opciones Comunitarias para Niños (CCOP) y más, conozca con los coordinadores y administradores de servicios y apoyo del condado de Milwaukee, y descubra y comparta estrategias para fortalecer a su hijo y su familia. La próxima sesión se realizará el viernes 4 de diciembre de 18 a 19:30 horas. Es necesario registrarse. Envíe un correo electrónico a childrenservices@milwaukeecountywi.gov para registrarse. Indique la hora de la sesión, las necesidades del intérprete y el idioma requerido. Las sesiones se llevarán a cabo en Microsoft Teams.

The House of Kings & Priests has teamed up with Beloved Masterpieces, LLC to offer Free Virtual Art Therapy Sessions. Virtual Art Therapy is a fun alternative to help individuals avoid negative influences and risks. It's a creative tool to help cope and protect wellbeing. Please pick up art supplies from The House of Kings and Priests at 4718 W. Garfield Ave., Milwaukee, Mondays 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or Tuesdays 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Space is limited, please sign up quickly at this link.

MPS students who are fathers are invited to join this group of young fathers and learn about resources and opportunities that will help you and your child. The groups get together on Google Meet from 10 to 11 a.m. once a month. The next group will meet on December 9. Click here to register.

Los estudiantes de MPS que son padres están invitados a unirse a este grupo de padres jóvenes y aprender sobre los recursos y oportunidades que los ayudarán a usted y a su hijo. Los grupos se reúnen en Google Meet de 10 a 11 a.m. una vez al mes. El próximo grupo se reunirá el 9 de diciembre. Haga clic aquí para registrarse.

Wisconsin's newest opioid treatment program opened in October. With the opening of Community Medical Services-South Milwaukee, 1333 College Ave., Suite M1, South Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin now has 22 opioid treatment programs. These programs provide the full range of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. Find an opioid treatment program near you.

The City of Milwaukee, in partnership with Riverworks Development Corporation, has created the Financial Navigator program. Through this free service, Milwaukee residents can connect remotely with a trained Financial Navigator to receive one-on-one guidance on managing their financial issues. Trained Financial Navigators employed by the Riverworks Financial Clinic will work with residents over the phone to provide information and resources. Residents can call to receive help on a variety of financial topics including budgeting, mortgage assistance, and credit scores.

The Financial Navigators program is designed to help residents deal with the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and is a critical part of the City of Milwaukee’s response efforts. Click here or call 414-882-7440 for details and set up a session. Services are available in English and Spanish.

If you are sick of cigarette litter fouling up your living area, get some help from Hold On To Your Butt MKE. They’re offering do it yourself cigarette butt receptacles and clean up kits for your use. Since the forecast looks good for a while, why not put your time outdoors to good use? Click here for details and to order.

This report was completed by the UW Population Health Institute at the request of Wisconsin Department of Health Services. It identifies gaps in Wisconsin's behavioral health system in areas such as the service array, workforce, accessibility barriers, and system inequities. It also offers possible solutions to addressing these gaps. The report is based on the knowledge and experiences of service providers, state government staff, advocates, and consumers. This information was collected through interviews, surveys, and focus groups. View this report on the UW Population Health Institute website. NOTE: The data for this report were collected before the COVID-19 pandemic. This report does not reflect the impact of the pandemic on people’s behavioral health and the behavioral health system.

This report was completed by DHS staff. It identifies how many individuals have needs related to mental health and substance use challenges, assesses how many individuals with these needs are receiving services and how much unmet need exists, and examines the size and scope of the mental health and substance use services workforce. This report is based primarily on large population data sets available through state and federal agencies. View this report. NOTE: The data for this report were collected before the COVID-19 pandemic. This report does not reflect the impact of the pandemic on people’s behavioral health and the behavioral health system.

The Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line now features a tailored program for American Indians in Wisconsin. This program can be accessed by calling 1-800-QUIT NOW or 1-88-7AI QUIT. When calling either number, once identified as American Indian, the individual will be provided with culturally tailored and specific interventions that integrate the unique social context of American Indian culture.

In 2019, 11,938 people were served by Wisconsin's 21 opioid treatment programs. Review the 2019 Calendar Year Report on Opioid Treatment Programs in Wisconsin for more data. Reports from 2016, 2017, and 2018 are available on Wisconsin DHS’ website. 

"State of Lung Cancer" is the American Lung Association's signature report that shows how the toll of lung cancer varies by state. Examining rates of new cases, survival, early diagnosis, surgical treatment, lack of treatment, and screening, this report finds states can do more to protect their residents from lung cancer. New this year are disparities in lung cancer burden by racial and ethnic groups at the state and national levels. Download it here.

The City of Milwaukee Health Department launched "Ask MHD" to respond to questions about COVID-19. Email askmhdcovid19@milwaukee.gov to ask your question.

If you are looking for where to get food right now, visit 211 Wisconsin, dial 211, or text your ZIP code to 898211. FoodShare is another great way to get the food you need for your family! If you are interested in applying to receive EBT benefits, please visit Wisconsin's Access website. Find more information from Hunger Task Force.

Community Advocates' COVID-19 Resource Pages:

We update these pages frequently. If you have a resource you'd like us to share, please email lkaiser@communityadvocates.net.

Home To Stay is a new website full of resources for people returning from incarceration developed by the Milwaukee County Community Justice Council’s Milwaukee Reentry Council and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. New entries are being added, so check this site often.