Thank you for your commitment to making Milwaukee a better place by investing in prevention efforts. Do you have:
Yours in prevention,
Elysse Chay
Prevention Services Manager
Community Advocates
Public Policy Institute
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How Can We Make Adolescent Substance Use a Priority?
If you work in public health or the prevention field, you're probably acutely aware of how risky teen substance use can be. Besides correlating with negative life outcomes -- such as vehicle crashes, suicide, and sexually transmitted infections -- youth substance use can impact one's brain. Because a teen's brain is still developing, using drugs or alcohol can actually change the brain's structure and function, leading to long-term consequences such as addiction.
But if you don't work in public health, you probably assume that teens' use of drugs and alcohol is simply part of growing up -- and you aren't aware of how costly it can be.
That may change soon.
What they found is that our biases affect our thinking about teen substance use.
"The report explains how thinking about adolescent substance use draws on deeper patterns of thinking about adolescence, development, substances, human behavior, and health care," the researchers note.
Although it's a first report in a series to be completed, the FrameWorks researchers raise many issues that prevention specialists need to consider.
"As leaders in the prevention field, we typically assume that most people already understand how devastating teen substance use could be. This report reminds us that when we're providing information to the public we need to start by making the case for the importance of prevention, and not assume that it's a critical issue for others," said Elysse Chay, Prevention Manager at the
Public Policy Institute.
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Stay Strong MKE 2018
Don't delay! The Public Policy Institute has released a request for proposals for
Stay Strong MKE projects for 2018
. We anticipate funding 10 projects, with a total allocation of $250,000, that serve to prevent alcohol and other drug use and misuse among young people. Proposals are due by Monday, November 13, 2017, at 3 p.m., delivered in person to Community Advocates Public Policy Institute, 728 N. James Lovell Street, Milwaukee.
Why pitch your project?
Karen Kolberg, Director of Youth Services at The Parenting Network, said the grant supports their life skills program, which gives young people the tools they need to have the confidence to make healthy choices and set positive goals even when they're exposed to alcohol and other drugs at an early age.
"Because of our work in the schools, we are able to provide an alternative perspective to the use, misuse, and abuse of alcohol and other drugs," Kolberg said. "The goal is to break the cycle of misunderstanding by shattering myths that youth have learned and adopted from those around them. They receive factual information about the risks associated with use but also learn positive coping skills such as: effective communication, refusal skills, time, money and anger management, plus a basic understanding of relationships and the effects that drugs and alcohol have on those relationships."
Kristen Ramirez, Program Coordinator at Diverse & Resilient, said Stay Strong MKE supports her organization's
unique alcohol harm-reduction programming to LGBTQ and allied youth ages 14-24,
Thinking Under the Influence
(TUI). TUI supports non-drinkers and also provides young people who are using alcohol with the knowledge and skills to reduce their risks, all while addressing health disparities seen with LGBTQ youth.
Ramirez added, "Stay Strong MKE also supports the availability of leadership opportunities to LGBTQ and allied youth through our Community Health Promoter program, which trains young people in the TUI curriculum and supports them to talk to their peers about alcohol harm reduction at school, home, or community events like Pridefest Milwaukee."
DeShanda Williams, Program Manager at Pathfinders, said
Stay Strong MKE offers young people an opportunity to learn life skills in a space that is considered safe, with safe and trusted adults.
"Youth are able to access skills directly that they have reported would be beneficial in a school setting because it specifically targets skills like communication, goal setting, relationships, budgeting, and so on," Williams said. "Youth dealing with home instability are being given life skills that allow better decision-making when faced with drug use and conflicts, allowing the chance to choose an alternative to the coping mechanisms and choices made out of survival that usually come with re-criminalizing and re-victimizing of young people who never (or have not consistently) received healthy support."
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An Expert Panel Discussion on Economic Insecurity
Featuring The Financial Diaries' Rachel Schneider
Wednesday, November 15
You may have caught Schneider's interview on
WUWM's Lake Effect in July, when she and Mitch Teich discussed how volatile a household's cash flow can be, even when its members are employed. That's because many workers, often overlooked in media reports and economic research, have their hours cut when work is slow, work on commission or tips, or have seasonal ebbs and flows in their incomes that often don't match their expenses.
Schneider and Morduch delved into this phenomenon in
The Financial Diaries, based on their original research tracking 235 low- and moderate-income households over the course of a year. They collected highly detailed data on how families manage their finances on a day-to-day basis.
We will provide a light lunch before our expert panel discussion. We'll send you more details as the date approaches, but until then, please save Wednesday, November 15, for
The Financial Diaries' Rachel Schneider.
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International Survivors of
Suicide Loss Day
Saturday, November 18
The event will be held at Nicolet High School, 6701 N. Jean Nicolet Road, Glendale, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 18. For more information and to register, go to
MHA's website
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Community Advocates
Public Policy Institute
10th Anniversary Celebration
April 26, 2018
Special Guest Richard Rothstein, Author of The Color of Law
On April 26, 2018, Community Advocates Public Policy Institute will celebrate our 10th anniversary with a special night at the Milwaukee Public Museum featuring keynote speaker Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America,
a finalist for the National Book Award in nonfiction. Local historian Reggie Jackson, Head Griot of America's Black Holocaust Museum, will also address the audience.
Guests will also enjoy private, after-hours access to the Milwaukee Public Museum's recently renovated Streets of Old Milwaukee, one of our city's treasures.
In addition, Rothstein will sign his book, which will be available for sale, and meet special guests that evening.
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Youth Justice Milwaukee
New Pledge and Letter
The Youth Justice Milwaukee coalition
, co-founded by the Public Policy Institute's Jeffery Roman and Urban Underground's Sharlen Moore, is marking its first six months of activity by launching two new campaigns.
They have posted
an online pledge
in support of closing Wisconsin's two youth prisons -- Copper Lake School for Girls and Lincoln Hills School for Boys.
The pledge concludes:
"
Leadership changes aren't enough. Waiting for lawsuits to play out isn't enough. What needs to be done is clear: lawmakers from every part of Wisconsin, as well as Governor Scott Walker, must unite in support of closing Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake once and for all, and instead, invest in alternatives to incarceration that are proven to work better.
"
The coalition has crafted a letter addressed to Assembly Speaker Robin Vos
asking him to take no action on Assembly Bill 87, which increases the length of time a young person is placed in prison, and Assembly Bill 90, which increases the number of youth who enter prison.
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 Red Ribbon Week
October 23-October 27
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Wisconsin Department of Justice 
Rx Drug Take-Back Day
Saturday, October 28
Even if you can't make it on Saturday, you can use the safe, secure, permanent drop-boxes for your unwanted medications at local pharmacies and police departments and select pharmacies around the county any day of the year, no questions asked. You can find all of the locations on
MCSAP's website
.
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Community Conversation about Tobacco Marketing to Youth
Saturday, November 4
The City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance and partners are hosting this community conversation about how tobacco products are being marketed in Milwaukee's Central City. The conversation builds on the work tobacco advocates are doing to check out how retailers are selling cigarettes and other tobacco products in a variety of Milwaukee neighborhoods. The Alliance would like to hear from you as well as share their information about
the easy availability of tobacco to young people, including the sad fact that in Wisconsin, 2,900 youth become regular smokers each year.
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Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training
November 6-9
Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST) is a foundational course of study in substance abuse prevention, grounded in current research and SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework. This training, sponsored by the Southeast Region of the Alliance for Wisconsin Youth, prepares practitioners to implement effective, data-driven prevention programs and practices that reduce behavioral health disparities and improve wellness. It is ideally for practitioners new to the substance abuse prevention field and/or working in related disciplines.
This training is a four-day commitment and a certificate of completion is given upon completion to be presented for credentialing.
- When: November 6-9; 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. each day. Lunch will be provided each day of the training. Please indicate any dietary restrictions when registering for the training online.
- Where: Courtyard Milwaukee North/Brown Deer; 5200 West Brown Deer Road
- When to Register: Deadline is October 27
- Course Requirement: A pre-training online course must be completed prior to participating in the in-person training sessions. To show that you have completed the online course, you will need to print a certificate and bring it with you on Monday, November 6.
- Details: Download this PDF for detailed instructions on the course and registration directions.
- Questions?: If you have additional questions or need any accommodations for the in-person training, please contact Elysse Chay at EChay@CommunityAdvocates.net as soon as possible.
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Community Advocates Public Policy Institute is hosting additional Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) gatekeeper trainings for those interested in learning how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis. The 90-minute sessions will be led by a certified trainer from
Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee on:
- Wednesday, November 15: 10:30 a.m. to noon; 1 to 2:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 6: 10:30 a.m. to noon; 1 to 2:30 p.m.
This QPR training is offered without charge to PPI's Brighter Futures/PHAT grantees, MCSAP coalition members, 53206 Drug-Free Community Coalition, Partnership for Success partners, City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance members, and Prevention Journal readers.
The location will be announced soon. This training may be difficult for those who have recently lost a loved one to suicide.
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Expungement 101:
One-Day Basic Training
Wednesday, October 25 through Saturday, December 16
Clean Slate Milwaukee Inc.
is providing
six one-day basic trainings
for professionals who work in workforce development or social services and interested members of the community to learn more about expungement and how to better serve their clients who have criminal records. Participants will learn about how a record can be expunged, how to read a criminal record to avoid hiring or housing discrimination, and how to identify an expungement candidate.
The trainings will be held on Wednesdays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. (October 25, November 8, and November 15) and on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon (October 28, December 2, and December 16). Cost: $125
. The training includes light lunch and parking and will be held at the Welford Sanders Enterprise Center, 2821 N. Fourth Street, Milwaukee.
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Screening of
53206: A Community Serves Time
Wednesday, October 25
The
Milwaukee Comprehensive Care Collaborative
(MC3) and Milwaukee County are sponsoring this "change agent meeting" with a screening of the documentary 53206: A Community Serves Time. Registration begins at 12:30; the movie starts at 1 p.m. sharp. Location: Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago Street, Milwaukee. No RSVP needed. Go to
MC3's website
for more information.
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View from the Street: Grassroots Activism in the Black Community
Wednesday, October 25
Fifty years after a diverse coalition led by African-American youth marched for fair housing in Milwaukee, the city remains racially divided and large segments of the black community live in poverty. What will it take to effect change? Markasa Tucker, lead organizer for
UBLAC
(Uplifting Black Liberation and Community),
We Got This
Founder Andre Lee Ellis and Vaun Mayes, co-founder of
Program the Parks
, will discuss challenges and successes in a conversation moderated by
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
reporter Jabril Faraj.
The panel discussion will take place on Wednesday, October 25. Space is limited for this free event at the Outpost community room in the
Innovations & Wellness Commons
, 1617 W. North Avenue, Milwaukee. Register here. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the discussion will begin promptly at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.
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Weatherization Day
Saturday, October 28
Stop by Milwaukee County's Energy Assistance program's
Weatherization Day event
on Saturday, October 28, from 9 a.m. to noon at 5668 S. 27th Street to learn more about weatherizing your home. They're offering free weatherization kits, plus activities for the kids, treats and hot chocolate, and more. You can also schedule your energy assistance appointment at one of six convenient locations around the county
. If you bring a coat to donate, you will be eligible to win $500 toward your energy bills.
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Gun Violence Prevention
Lobby Day
Wednesday, November 1
Sponsored by the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE), the day's events will include a morning program, citizen lobbying training and lunch, followed by afternoon meetings with legislative offices.
Mental Health America of Wisconsin Public Policy Director Shel Gross will be part of the opening panel discussion for this event. Click here to read his recent op-ed on guns and suicide prevention, "Imagine a Las Vegas Gun Death Toll Every Day: It's Happening."
Details:
Wednesday, November 1;
Check-in
9:45 - 10 a.m. at
Bethel Lutheran Church (312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison) for training before heading to the Capitol together. Cost:
$15, includes lunch, a large WAVE tote bag and training materials.
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Almost Sunrise Screening
Thursday, November 9
The
Charles E. Kubly Foundation is sponsoring this screening of
Almost Sunrise, a documentary that
follows two Iraq veterans, Tom Voss and Anthony Anderson, both tormented by depression for years after they returned home and pushed to the edge of suicide. The two embark on an extraordinary journey: a 2,700 mile walk across the country from Wisconsin to California, in order to reflect on their haunting experiences of war and, ultimately, save themselves.
Join friends of the foundation for this screening and post-film talk-back with Anthony Anderson and others on Thursday, November 9, at 7 p.m. at the Times Cinema, 5906 W. Vliet Street, Milwaukee. Purchase your advance tickets here.
The Mequon-based Charles E. Kubly Foundation seeks to better the lives of those affected by depression by increasing public awareness of the disease and its devastating effects, eliminating the stigma associated with it, supporting suicide prevention programs and promoting improved access to quality mental health resources within communities.
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Public Statistics Dashboard for
Monitoring Program
The dashboard provides easy-to-use interactive data visualizations for controlled substance dispensing, ePDMP utilization, and law enforcement alerts. Statistics archives dating back to the program's implementation in 2013 are also available on the dashboard.
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UChoose: Youth-Driven
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Site
The Baltimore City Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI) released its new website,
UChoose
. UChoose was developed for local teens in partnership with the TPPI Youth Advisory Council, a group of Baltimore City teens working to ensure that the UChoose Campaign has youth voice and leadership. The site is full of clear, relevant, and accurate information on birth control, healthy relationships, staying healthy, and resources for parents and other interested adults. While some of the information is Baltimore-centric, it's a good example of how young people can be involved in youth-targeted messaging.
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The
Endometriosis Association International Headquarters
(8585 N. 76th Place, between 76th Street and Brown Deer Road in Milwaukee) is offering its upper suite for rent, featuring 1,142 square feet of office space, which includes three private offices, a large conference room, a secretarial and reception area, and a storage room. The rental includes free, on-site parking; a quiet, smoke-free, secured building near a bus stop; and separate entrances. Call 414-355-2200 for more information or to tour the space.
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Innovation Next 
Innovation Next
, a program of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy, is accepting applications for redefining Sex Ed for the 21st Century by utilizing the Design Thinking framework for behavior change.
Design Thinking is defined
by Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, as "a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer's toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success." Five teams of three who want to learn new strategies for addressing challenges using digital technology will be selected to receive $80,000 in funding, will learn Design Thinking from IDEO, and will join a cohort of fellow innovators and thought leaders. Deadline for applications is November 14. You'll find more information on
Innovation Next's website
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Our Partners & Allies Are Seeking...
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