It's always a good time to talk about the benefits of living drug free, and Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31), sponsored by National Family Partnership, is one of the better opportunities to raise awareness and show support for substance-free activities. This year’s theme is "Send a message. Stay drug free," and the organizers provide a number of ways you can send the message you care about building a drug-free community, including:

"On October 29, we will be hosting a mini-resource fair in the reception area of Community Advocates' downtown offices, where we'll give out prevention resources to our clients and visitors and talk about what all of us can do to prevent harm from substance abuse," said Amanda Clark, 53206 Drug-Free Communities coordinator. "It will help to reinforce the message that living substance-free is the best choice anyone can make."

Thanks go out to everyone who attended the Alliance for Wisconsin Youth and Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention coalition's Changing Your Alcohol Environment series, which explored our culture's relationship to alcohol, and what we can do to prevent the harm associated with problematic drinking.

Keynote speaker Rodney Wambeam of the University of Wyoming presented a history of alcohol in our society, from the wine, cider, and beer consumed by European settlers to the hard liquor of the frontier, Prohibition, and our current "day drinking" trend and "wine moms." Julia Sherman, of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project, explored what elected officials, coalition leaders, and community members can do to shape their own alcohol culture by changing the norms and policies around drinking.

Did you miss this series? Watch Rodney's presentation and Julia's presentation on YouTube.

Learn more about Wisconsin’s relationship to alcohol by downloading the just-released report, "The Burden of Binge Drinking in Wisconsin."

Volunteers have collected almost 40,000 pieces of tobacco-related trash on Milwaukee beaches over the past decade—all of which threatens our water, parkways, kids, and wildlife. To create awareness of the harm posed by cigarette butts, wrappers, and filters, the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance and partners launched the Hold On To Your Butt MKE campaign, with cigarette butt receptacles at four area beaches and other high-impact sites around town. The campaign held a cleanup and press conference at Bradford Beach last week, which drew TV crews and a lot of support. The Hold On to Your Butt MKE campaign is funded by the Fund for Lake Michigan, convened by the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance, and supported by community partners including Milwaukee County Parks, Surfrider Milwaukee, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Plastic Free MKE, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, and the Bay View Neighborhood Association. To keep in touch with the campaign, like it on Facebook . 

A new program, Family Links, is now available to prevent high-risk families from entering and/or reentering the child welfare system. This initiative, funded by the state Department of Children and Families , uses specific activities shown to be effective in preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening family systems. Partners include The Parenting Network , Community Advocates , and Milwaukee Center for Children & Youth .

Families are connected to programs and services that will help them set goals; identify their informal support networks; find ways to meet basic needs; and address other family challenges. Community support could include parenting education, case management, direct services or referring families to other services when appropriate. Check the flyer for details about eligibility and services . 

Is the New Deal Era dead? Not at all, argues David Riemer in Putting Government in Its Place: The Case for a New Deal 3.0. In fact, it’s the perfect time to update it to address our current needs and disparities. Riemer, the founding director of Community Advocates Public Policy Institute, will launch his book at Boswell Book Co., 2559 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6. RSVPs are encouraged to help us plan for the evening. Register here.

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute and the Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention coalition are pleased to offer this no-cost, two-day training for education and other professionals to learn how to identify chemically impaired individuals.

Drug Impairment Training for Education Professionals (DITEP) is aimed toward educators, school nurses, administrators, law enforcement, parents, nonprofit professionals, and youth-serving organizations. Participants will learn how to assess individuals for substance use and ensure a safe environment for all.

There is no cost to attend, and participants will receive a manual and lunch. RSVP at this link as space is limited.

The 2020 DHS Opioid Forum will be held May 5-7, 2020, at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells. It will feature workshops on prevention, treatment, and recovery topics related to opioids and other drugs. There will also be sessions focused on the intersection of trauma and substance use disorders. Health and human services workers, law enforcement, medical professionals, mental health professionals, public health workers, and substance use professionals are invited to attend. Be the first to know when registration opens!  Join DHS’s email list.

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 [email protected].

Circles of Support bring together returning citizens and community members for a shared meal and a restorative justice-style discussion. Community Advocates hosts once a month, but four other sites also host monthly circles. Community Advocates’ next circle will be held Wednesday, October 23, with a 5:30 p.m. dinner and circle to follow, at 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee. Check the flyer for details . To join, contact Amanda Smit at Project Return at [email protected] or 414-374-8029.

It isn’t too late to register for this human trafficking conference organized by Outreach Community Health Centers and Milwaukee County Housing Division. It’ll cover law enforcement’s response to human trafficking, outreach to those affected, and an overview of trauma-informed care practices for survivors. The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront, 4700 N. Port Washington Road, Milwaukee. Cost is $85, which includes breakfast and lunch. Download the flyer for registration information.

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. 

MICAH will be hosting its 31st Annual Public Meeting to celebrate and to hold candidates and elected officials accountable. This year's theme is "Running the Race for Justice" and the host venue will be Bay Shore Lutheran Church, 1200 E. Hampton Rd., Milwaukee. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 24. Get details here.

MPD District 5 is organizing this family-friendly Halloween-inspired gathering from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, October 25, at MPD District 5, 2920 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., Milwaukee. Expect food, games, and resources, along with flu shots. Interested in donating or participating? Contact Officer Jocelyn Kalmanson at 414-935-7258 or [email protected] .

The national prescription drug take-back day is a convenient way to get rid of your unwanted medications, a key way to prevent overdose, misuse, and poisoning. New this October is the DEA’s acceptance of vaping devices and cartridges at any of its drop-off locations. (The DEA cannot accept devices containing lithium ion batteries.) To find a drop-off location near you, check out Dose of Reality’s website. 

El Conquistador Latino newspaper and partners are sponsoring this free, family-oriented festival that includes everything from a health, education, and job fair to a free indoor trick-or-treat, credit repair workshop, a fashion show, entertainment, and cultural exhibits. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 26, at Augustine Preparatory Academy, 2607 S. Fifth St., Milwaukee. 

Organized by the Medical College of Wisconsin, this event includes free prostate cancer blood test screening on site (PSA) plus you can talk to doctors, researchers and survivors. Includes free breakfast from Soul2Soul Catering and giveaways from Jammin’ 98.3 and the Milwaukee Bucks. All are welcome to attend this free community event. It will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, 3456 N. 38th St, Milwaukee. Please register at this link.

Join United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County and Community Advocates Public Policy Institute for a conversation with author and social activist Tom Sheridan, moderated by Paul Schmitz, CEO of Leading Inside Out.

A social worker by training and one of Washington D.C.'s top lobbyists, Tom's advocacy wins include The Ryan White Care Act, The Americans With Disabilities Act, Bono's One Campaign, and the creation of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation. Tom will share his call-to-action for greater non-profit advocacy as found in his new book, Helping the Good Do Better: How a White Hat Lobbyist Advocates for Social Change .

Helping the Good Do Better will be available for purchase courtesy of Boswell Books ($28 per copy).

RSVP here for this free community event.

Marian University and the National Alliance for Grieving Children are marking November as Children’s Grief Awareness Month with this conference and webcast titled "Ethical Considerations for Grief Support after a Traumatic Death." It will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, November 8, at Marian University Stayer Center Auditorium, 45 S. National Ave., Fond du Lac. Cost is $20 per person (includes lunch). Click here for details on the conference and to register. Registration deadline is November 1.

Wisconsin Family Ties' Children Come First Conference is for those caring for, working with, or concerned about the well-being of children and young adults with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Some scholarship funding will be available for parents/primary caregivers who would otherwise be unable to attend. Youth (ages 12-26) who have a social, emotional, behavioral, mental health or substance use challenge will be able to attend the 2019 conference as well. This year’s theme is "cooperation." The conference will be held November 11 and 12 at Glacier Canyon Lodge at Wilderness Resort, Wisconsin Dells. Get details and register here .

The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force is hosting the fifth annual Karen Avery Forum, Tuesday, November 12, at Independence First . This year's theme is "Pathways to Employment: Opportunities, Rights and Resources." Get details and register here .

CADCA is presenting this webinar featuring Dr. Robert DuPont, Dr. Caroline DuPont, and Dr. Bertha Madras discussing their recent article, "Drug use among youth: National survey data support a common liability," which found that youth who used cigarettes, marijuana, or alcohol in the past month were more likely to also report using another substance than non-using youth. Dr. DuPont, Dr. DuPont, and Dr. Madras will discuss the implications their findings have for coalition work and how coalitions can promote a message of no use of any substance among youth. The webinar is scheduled for 12 noon on Wednesday, October 23. Register here.

Faith institutions have the potential to touch a broader range of the community than other sectors because they reach people of all ages, economic levels and ethnicities. This webinar from the Great Lakes PTTC will present a strong a clear rationale for the role of faith leaders in working across the continuum of care, including substance use prevention. Details and registration here. Part 2 will be held on November 5 .

Cigarillos ("little cigars") may seem harmless, but they're a big threat, especially to young people. The state Department of Health Services developed this new fact sheet on cigarillos to shed light on their use and impact.

The state Department of Health Services Division of Care and Treatment Services has launched two new data dashboards: the County Mental Health Services Dashboard and the County Substance Use Services Dashboard. They’re part of a multiyear DHS initiative to make data more available to the public.

Mental Health America of Wisconsin is offering this new East Side support group for those who have lost someone to suicide. Sessions will be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Jewish Family Services, First Floor, Room #10, 1300 N. Jackson St., Milwaukee. (Enter from Jackson Street.) Questions? Contact 414-276-3122 or [email protected]. 

This free, self-paced webinar sponsored by the Region V Public Health Training Center will feature Megan Gaydos, Project Director at Human Impact Partners, and will focus on methods that health departments can use to address power imbalances and other factors in order to advance health equity. Its learning objectives are to describe the role of health departments in addressing power imbalances, racism and other forms of oppression at the root of health inequities; name three barriers and three antidotes to changing organizational culture; and identify five internal actions that health departments can implement to advance health equity. Get details and sign up here. Find additional webinars at this link.

Halloween is around the corner! Make sure you and your kids are celebrating safely by following these simple tips from the US Food & Drug Administration.

October 26 is national drug take-back day, which allows residents to safely and securely get rid of their unwanted medication so that it doesn’t fall into the hands of others. The US Drug Enforcement Agency has created a toolkit with posters, pamphlets, ads, and more at this link. The Dose of Reality website has Wisconsin-focused information.