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Welcome to our March newsletter!
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.
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Family Environment Research Study
from San Diego State University
The goal of this research project is to explore caregivers’ perspectives to help answer important questions about family risk and resilience factors in children. All study components can be completed virtually with a smartphone or computer. Participants will fill out several questionnaires (30-40 minutes) about their child’s behavior, stressful life events, and family relationships.
Take the survey here.
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Quitting Smoking is Associated with Recovery from Other Addictions
from National Institute on Drug Abuse
People with addiction to alcohol or other substances have a higher likelihood of being addicted to nicotine as well. Findings from a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) study show that quitting cigarette smoking is associated with improved recovery outcomes from other substance use disorders.
"We now have strong evidence from a national sample that quitting cigarette smoking predicts improved recovery from other substance use disorders," explained Nora Volkow, M.D., director of NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Scientists analyzed data from 2,652 people 18 and older who had a history of substance use disorder and who experienced a change in their recovery status over the next four years. In this analysis, a change in smoking status from "current" to "former" use of cigarettes was associated with 42% greater odds of the individual being in recovery from their non-tobacco substance use disorder.
Based on their analysis of data from a large U.S. study of smoking and health, researchers believe the results clearly show the benefit of pairing smoking cessation with addiction recovery efforts.
Read more here.
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Light and Unite Red Week
from RISE Drug Free MKE
March 16-22
Each year, partners across Milwaukee County join forces for Light and Unite Red Week to promote community-wide substance use prevention education and is in alignment with National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, from March 15-21.
This year's theme is MythBusters
Students are encouraged not to believe everything they hear at school or see online. Curiosity around substance use is normal, but it's important to seek information from reliable, credible sources. RISE Drug Free MKE will be sharing accurate information and resources on alcohol, marijuana, commercial tobacco, nicotine, prescription medication, and other drugs.
Throughout the week, RISE Drug Free MKE, community organizations, and other allies will also be debunking common myths about alcohol and other drug use through social media and in-person events.
Learn more and find resources here.
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Family Wellness Event
from Community Alliance: Hales Corners and Greendale Communities and Greendale Schools
Tuesday, March 24
Community Alliance and Greendale Schools present the 7th Annual Family Wellness Event! Join them for an interactive evening focused on youth wellness! Hear from local health experts, explore community resources, and support 8th graders as they showcase their Health Advocacy projects. Bring the whole family and be part of the conversation!
Speaker Panel Topics:
- Youth mental health and coping strategies
- Nutrition for growing minds and bodies
- Vaping dangers and cessation strategies
- School Safety: Speak up, Speak out
- Youth Athletics: Proper training and injury prevention
The event is scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on March 24 at Greendale Middle School, 6800 Schoolway, Greendale.
Learn more here.
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2026 AAP Opioid Response Network (ORN) Webinar Series
from ORN
Join a National Office Hour on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in pediatric care and earn CME credit. Learn how lived experience can support adherence, care coordination, and recovery planning for adolescents with opioid use disorder. This series is designed to help troubleshoot clinical challenges and discuss cases.
You can choose to attend one or more of the following webinars:
Mar 20, 2026
Apr 17, 2026
May 15, 2026
Jun 26, 2026
All begin at 11:30am CT.
Register here.
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Letting Go of What Doesn't Work: Moving Communities Toward Effective Prevention
from Great Lakes PTTC
Tuesday, March 24
1:00-3:00pm CT
Substance misuse prevention works best when it's grounded in evidence. Yet many well-known and widely supported prevention strategies have been shown to be ineffective—or even harmful. Despite the data, these approaches often persist because they're familiar, popular, or deeply valued by communities.
This 2-hour virtual training, provided by the Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network, equips prevention practitioners with practical tools to identify ineffective strategies and guide partners toward more effective, evidence-based alternatives. Participants will learn a clear 5-step process to assess current efforts, select stronger replacements, understand why ineffective strategies endure, and confidently communicate the value of change. The focus is on real-world application—helping you move conversations (and communities) toward prevention strategies that truly make an impact.
Register here.
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Youth Mental Health First Aid
from Community Advocates Public Policy Institute
Thursday, March 19
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who might be experiencing a mental health challenge or is in crisis.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.
This Light and Unite Red Week training hosted by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 19 and will be held at Community Advocates, 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee.
Register here.
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2026 Strength Over Addiction Recovery (SOAR) Workshop
from Rogers Behavioral Health
Saturday, March 28
Addiction can be a challenging topic to discuss with children, but it doesn't have to be! When a child attends a SOAR workshop hosted by Rogers Behavioral Health, they gain more than just understanding. They also get to:
- Explore their feelings in a safe space while participating in activities with peers.
- Build a self-care kit as they learn about mindfulness, coping, and resiliency.
- Create and take home educational arts and craft projects.
The workshop is available to children ages 6 through 15. Please note that children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 at Rogers Behavioral Health's Brown Deer Behavioral Health Treatment Center, 4600 W. Schroeder Dr., Brown Deer.
Register here.
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Trauma and the Brain: An Introduction
from Community Advocates Public Policy Institute
Tuesday, March 31
As a result of this workshop, participants will gain a better understanding of how trauma affects the brain, discuss risk factors for substance use disorders, and develop their strategy for intervention methods for a particular population.
What will be discussed:
• Trauma definition
• How trauma affects the brain
• Statistics on substance use and ACEs
• Risk factors
• Strategies for care
• Stress reducers
• Prioritizing risk factors
• Beginning a call to action
This training from Community Advocates Public Policy Institute will be held via Zoom from 9 to 10 a.m. on March 31.
Register here.
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Check out our video archive to find a session you might have missed.
You can also go back to the training session webpage to find other resources, slides and handouts.
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Click here below to see all the upcoming trainings and events across topics. | |  |
Have a training interest? Looking for technical assistance? Simply fill out this online form with what you are seeking, and we will follow up to further explore your needs. | | Wisconsin CONNECT Social Media | | Go follow the new Wisconsin CONNECT social media pages for regular updates on training opportunities as well as to connect and network with other professionals. | | |
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We do this in partnership with the Bureau of Prevention, Treatment and Recovery within the Wisconsin Department of Health Service's Division of Care and Treatment Services, UW-Milwaukee, and our network of training providers. |
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