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Thank you for your commitment to making Milwaukee a better place.
Please email me to keep me informed
of your coming events, job opportunities, grant availability, and other activities. Your ideas and feedback are welcome.
Yours in prevention,
Elysse Chay Wageman
Prevention Services Manager, Public Policy Institute
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WHAT'S INSIDE
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NEWS & UPDATES
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Spotlight On: Human and Sex Trafficking Prevention
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Southeastern Wisconsin has emerged as a thriving hub for human trafficking and sex trafficking in recent years. While some programs exist to help survivors who have escaped that life, there are few prevention resources for those who are at risk of being trafficked.
Who is especially vulnerable? Milwaukee teens.
In fact, the average age when a victim is first trafficked is a mere 13, according to the City of Milwaukee's Human Trafficking Task Force's
Unlucky 13 campaign.
Fortunately,
Neu-Life Community Development has been educating Milwaukee youth on the signs and symptoms of sex trafficking through ARTREACH, a human/sex-trafficking awareness and prevention program, which Neu-Life offers as an add-on to their Promoting Health Among Teens (PHAT) teen pregnancy prevention program. The teens then work collaboratively to create artwork and narratives about the dangers of being trafficked.
"This is all about prevention," said Jody Rhodes, executive director of Neu-Life.
The youth-created images and narratives are direct and heartbreaking.
Rhodes said she added the ARTREACH component after two human/sex trafficking incidents occurred near the center, located at 20th Street and North Avenue, about five years ago. One girl was taken to Chicago by her older boyfriend and was trafficked.
At around the same time, a middle-school student was abducted while walking home from school in the neighborhood and trafficked in an apartment overlooking Water Street. She was eventually able to escape.
"Five years ago, it wasn't a big issue in the news, but now it is," Rhodes said. "We were ahead of the curve. We saw these things happening and said we need to get ahead of this issue. We said, our kids are falling prey to this and we need to add this to our prevention arsenal."
Partnering with the
Zonta Club of Milwaukee
, Rhodes added ARTREACH to the PHAT program shortly after those incidents, with additional funding from the Community Advocates Public Policy Institute-administered
Milwaukee Brighter Futures Initiative
, as well as the United Way of Greater Milwaukee. The middle- and high school students who go through the program learn about the warning signs of human sex trafficking and its impact locally, nationally, and internationally. Armed with this knowledge, they can protect themselves and become peer advocates with those at risk of being trafficked.
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Youth Tobacco Prevention Video Raises Awareness
Destiny and Maya are the stars of this new video raising concerns about teens' easy access to tobacco products in some Milwaukee neighborhoods -- especially disproportionately black neighborhoods. They also talk about the impact of loved ones' smoking on them, with Maya saying her dad would never hurt her, yet he smoked and exposed her to second-hand smoke. "What made him quit was the harm it caused towards others and he just didn't like the smell anymore," Maya said.
Wisconsin Wins, with help from FACT members and allies, conducts compliance checks in stores that sell tobacco products to ensure that retailers aren't selling tobacco to teens or offering single cigarettes for sale. Last year, Wisconsin Wins youth did 389 compliance checks in Milwaukee. For more information, go to
witobaccocheck.org.
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Youth Justice Milwaukee
Bring Our Youth Home Petition
Youth Justice Milwaukee is asking supporters to sign on to a
petition to Gov. Scott Walker requesting him to bring our youth home and allow community and county stakeholders work together to provide an array of services for youth. Youth Justice Milwaukee is devoted to shutting down the troubled Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons so better alternatives can be created in the community.
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Let's Be Blunt Campaign
In the News
The Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention (MCSAP) Coalition's youth-focused anti-marijuana Let's Be Blunt multimedia campaign was featured in a recent
TMJ4 news report. Partners from Neu-Life Community Development explained why young people have
#noneedforweed.
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COALITION NEWS
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Youth Justice Milwaukee
Coalition Meeting
Wednesday, August 16
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International Overdose
Awareness Day
Thursday, August 31
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Motivational Interviewing Training
August 3 & August 9
RSVP by August 1
Human service professionals are invited to learn this collaborative tool to help clients find the motivation to make positive decisions and changes in their lives. This technique is especially helpful for working with those dealing with addiction, depression, or anxiety. The sessions will be led by Shawn Smith, Co-Founder and President of the
Alma Institute
and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. CEUs are available.
The seminar is open at no cost to Milwaukee Brighter Futures/Title V and Stay Strong grantees, as well as members of the Alliance for Wisconsin Youth Southeast Region, including the MCSAP coalition, 53206 Drug-Free Communities Project, and Partnership for Success.
Details: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 3, and Wednesday, August 9, at Community Advocates 2nd Floor Conference Room, 728 N. James Lovell St. Registration is required and light breakfast and lunch are included.
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RESOURCES
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City of Milwaukee Prescription Drug
Drop Box Information Cards
The Partnership for Success is making a continued push to distribute bilingual English/Spanish cards explaining how to dispose of unwanted and unused medications in the City of Milwaukee. At the Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention (MCSAP) coalition meeting earlier this month, Partnership for Success Coordinator Deavon Collins handed out 900 cards to coalition members. Collins and her partners have also distributed hundreds of cards to local pharmacies, where they're typically given to prescription drug customers, and other venues around the city. If you'd like to obtain cards to distribute, contact Collins at
dcollins@communityadvocates.net or 414-270-4669.
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Opioid Overdose Prevention Resources Card
Milwaukee COPE has created a
You're Not Alone card for preventing opioid overdoses, which includes a 24-hour substance use helping number, a QR code link for a community resource website, and the number to access free Naloxone. Print it out or contact
mkecommunityopioid@gmail.com for free cards to distribute through your organization.
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The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) created this
comprehensive website to prevent drug use and misuse among college and university students. Features include photos to identify drugs and paraphernalia, research on the effects of drugs on the body, statistics on drug and alcohol use by college-age students, and suggestions on how to help a friend who's using drugs.
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Coping with Grief after a
Disaster or Traumatic Event
SAMHSA is offering this new
tip sheet
for survivors of a disaster or traumatic event and are grieving. The resource covers the definition of grief, responses, suggestions for coping with it, and further resources.
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Warning Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illnesses
The Centers for Disease Control reminds us that 600 individuals die because of extreme heat each year in the U.S. Most vulnerable are older adults, children, athletes, outdoor workers, and people with low-income or chronic conditions. Check out the
CDC's fact sheet on the warning signs and symptoms of heat injury and illnesses.
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EVENTS
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PPI Happy Hour Fundraiser
August 15
Support the Community Advocates Public Policy Institute while you mix and mingle at Blu Milwaukee, on the 23rd floor of the Pfister Hotel. Our celebrity "Blutenders" -- Community Advocates CEO Andi Elliott and PPI Deputy Director Kari Lerch -- will be serving up drinks to benefit the Institute. On
Tuesday, August 15
, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., 10% of all drink proceeds and 100% of tips at Blu will be gifted to the Public Policy Institute. You can RSVP here.
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HaRUNbee 5K Walk/Run for
Healthy Birth Outcomes
Saturday, August 5
Organized by the Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families (LIHF), the run promotes health and wellness while raising awareness of preventing infant mortality. The event is part of
Bronzeville Week
. For more information,
click here
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Annual 5K Men's Wellness Walk
Saturday, August 19
Sponsored by Ray & Ida Johnson Foundation for Healthy Families, the 5K Men's Wellness Walk's
mission is to encourage men 21-49 years old in the Greater Milwaukee area to start or continue low risk and inexpensive exercise routines alongside like-minded individuals. Starting point is Schlitz Park RiverWalk, 1575 N. Rivercenter Drive.
You'll find more information here.
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Back-to-School Health Fairs
Look for the 17th Annual B
ack-to-School Health Fairs this month. Yes, it really is time to think about the new school year!
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Higher Ground...
The Opiate Epidemic
Wednesday, September 13
IMPACT is offering this event to raise support for their role in helping people take the first step toward regaining stability. Special guest is
New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard. For more information and to purchase tickets, check out
IMPACT's website.
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The Parenting Network's
Positive Parenting Program Series
- July 31: The Power of Positive Parenting, Washington Park Branch, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd., 6-7:45 p.m.
- August 1: Raising Resilient Children, Villard Branch, 5190 N. 35th Street, 6-7:45 p.m.
- August 7: The Power of Positive Parenting, Central Branch, 814 W. Wisconsin Avenue, 6-7:45 p.m.
- August 7: Dealing with Aggression, Capitol Branch, 3969 N. 74th Street, 3-4:45 p.m.
- August 14: Managing Disobedience, Central Branch, 814 W. Wisconsin Avenue, 6-7:45 p.m.
- August 15: Managing Disobedience, East Branch, 2320 N. Cramer Street, 1-3 p.m.
- August 21: Managing Disobedience, Washington Park Branch, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd., 6-7:45 p.m.
- August 21: Raising Resilient Children, Central Branch, 814 W. Wisconsin Avenue, 6-7:45 p.m.
- August 21: Managing Disobedience, Capitol Branch, 3969 N. 74th Street, 3-4:45 p.m.
- August 25: The Power of Positive Parenting, Atkinson Branch, 1960 W. Atkinson Avenue, 4-5:45 p.m.
- August 28: The Power of Positive Parenting, Martin Luther King Branch, 310 W. Locust Street, 6-7:45 p.m.
- August 29: Successful Shopping with Children, East Branch, 2320 N. Cramer Street, 1-3 p.m.
- September 12: Developing Good Bedtime Routines, East Branch, 2320 N. Cramer Street, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
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SEMINARS & TRAININGS
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MOVE Leadership Academy
August 5 & 6
Youth MOVE is offering a free young adult leadership academy to allow young people to take a deep dive into advocacy and leadership. MOVE Leadership academy is offered by master facilitators Johanna Bergan and Raphaelle Richardson.
This event is designed specifically to support young adults who have lived the experience of mental illness and/or substance use disorder and wish to use this experience in leadership and advocacy positions.
This event is facilitated and supported by advocates of young adults with lived experience. It will be a positive, peer-supported environment. Open to Wisconsin young adults, ages 18-25. Transportation is available. Meals, lodging in a UW-Whitewater dorm, and entertainment are provided on the UW-Whitewater campus; it's hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services with UW-Whitewater and is part of Youth Empowered Solutions!
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Now Is the Time:
Improving Supports for Wisconsin's
Youth and Young Adults
September 5 & 6
UW-Whitewater and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services are offering this seminar for professionals and caregivers working with young people (ages 16-25) who are living with or are at risk for mental health disorders.
This two-day conference features national keynote speakers and breakout sessions with national, state, and local experts in youth and young adult development, mental health and substance abuse issues, national models of youth engagement, and other best practices to support and engage youth
and young adults with behavioral health challenges.
September 5 keynote speaker Debra Cady is the co-author of the Trauma-informed Method of Engagement (TIME) for Youth Advocacy and an expert on youth and young adults transitioning to adulthood. September 6 keynote speaker is writer/comedian/activist
Kevin Breel
, author of Boy Meets Depression, the TED Talk "Confessions of a Depressed Comic," and one of Parade Magazine's "Most Influential Millennials in the World."
No cost for the conference, but participants must register; CEUs are available.
Click here
for more information.
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REQUEST FOR COMMENT
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Weigh in on the goals for Healthy People 2030, a document updated every ten years by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Healthy People helps users to access data on changes in the health status of the U.S. population; these data also inform each new decade's goals and objectives. Communities across the U.S. adopt Healthy People goals and objectives. Healthy People priorities are those aspects of health that are the most critical to overall health and well-being and can be improved using our available knowledge. The department is soliciting comments on the proposed framework for Healthy People 2030, specifically:
- Foundational Principle #3 - Achieving health and well-being requires eliminating health disparities, achieving health equity, and attaining health literacy.
- Overarching Goal #2 - Attain health literacy, achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health and well-being of all populations.
Public comment will be open until September 29 at 5 p.m. Eastern. Go to the
department's website for more information.
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JOBS & OPPORTUNITIES
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Corporate Engagement Coordinator --AmeriCorps
Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
The Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee is seeking to fill an AmeriCorps position to mobilize and connect skilled volunteers from the corporate sector to bridge capacity gaps in the nonprofit sector -primarily in high-impact areas such as board governance, marketing/communications, accounting, human resources and IT. In addition to building a base of skilled volunteers from the corporate sector, an essential role for this position will be to assist in providing assessment, training, tools and technical assistance to nonprofits to strengthen capacity to leverage skill-based volunteers.
You'll find details here.
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Goldin Pre-Teen Program Coordinator
COA Youth & Family Centers
This position is responsible for the supervision and quality of service delivery for the Auer CLC/Pre-Teen Program for youth ages 4 to 12. This position also provides administrative, management, and professional support to the program. It is a full-time, year-round position, working 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday. Hours may vary depending on program needs; evening and weekend hours may be required. The position is eligible for benefits.
Note: this position is considered part of staff-child ratios during program time. Details are on
Jobs That Serve.
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Interviewer/Surveyor
Vital Voices
Vital Voices for Mental Health has an opening for a part-time interviewer/surveyor. Job responsibilities include: administering and assisting with interviews and surveys of individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders, taking notes, and attending meetings with providers.
Hours vary but are expected to range from 10-20/month during regular weekday hours (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). Surveys and interviews take place in individuals' homes, in the community, and at provider sites.
Vital Voices is looking for someone who has good organizational, communication and interpersonal skills. Must be high school graduate or have a GED. College experience preferred but not required. Personal or family experience with mental illness and substance use a plus. A vehicle and auto insurance is a must. Hourly pay is $10/hour.
V
ital Voices is an advocacy organization primarily for individuals who use mental health and substance use recovery services provided by the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division and its contract agencies. Our mission is to advocate for excellence in mental health and substance use recovery services through the voice of the people being served.
Send cover letter and resume by Monday, August 7, 2017 to:
Sue Clark,
vitalvoices@sbcglobal.net, or
Vital Voices for Mental Health,
912 N. Hawley Road
Milwaukee
, WI 53213.
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