Community Advocates Public Policy Institute in partnership with Connected Health Solutions, ArtWorks for Milwaukee, and Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (MCSAP) are proud to release the video "My New Friends," produced with young people in the city of Milwaukee to raise awareness of drug misuse.

"My New Friends" can be found at rebrand.ly/NewFriends, along with prompts for a guided discussion and resources about substance misuse and mental health.

This youth-driven video focuses on the realities of young Milwaukeeans’ lives—the challenges they face from peer pressure, racism, and self-growth—as well as the importance of friendships in their lives. New friends are represented by "Oxy," "Xan," and "Lean," stand-ins for Oxycodone, Xanax, and the codeine-laced drink "Lean," and demonstrate how friendships and drug use can be intertwined in a risky attempt to cope with life challenges.

While we are living in extraordinary times, the daily struggles of life continue to be present in young people’s lives, and may even be exacerbated by the COVID-19 health crisis and current spotlight on racist policies and practices, including law enforcement. According to Milwaukee youth surveyed by MCSAP in 2018, the number one reported cause for youth substance use was to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. "My New Friends" raises the voice of young people and compels the audience to consider how they cope with of the stress and anxiety of daily life and how drug use factors into this process.

This production is part of an effort to move past the fear-mongering style of typical substance misuse PSAs, which evidence has shown is ineffective. The young Milwaukeeans who created the video hope "My New Friends" will spark a serious conversation with other young people and their families to address the root problems that lead to drug misuse and abuse later in life.

Prevent Suicide Wisconsin’s new report, Suicide in Wisconsin: Impact and Response, provides a comprehensive picture of suicidal behavior in the state, as well as strategies and opportunities for action that can prevent suicide attempts and deaths. Wisconsin’s suicide rate rose 40% between 2000 and 2017, with the highest rates among individuals ages 45-54. Get the report here.

Last week, SAMHSA released the latest data findings from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The NSDUH provides estimates of the use of illegal substances, prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, as well as mental disorders, treatment, and co-occurring substance use and mental disorders in the United States. NSDUH data also help identify the extent of substance use and mental illness among different sub-groups, estimate trends over time, and determine the need for treatment services. To view the presentation slides, the full report, and additional information, please click here.

The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) has announced the availability of up to $6 million in new funding opportunities aimed at improving health and advancing health equity in Wisconsin. These funding opportunities span AHW’s four pathways through which we work to advance health in Wisconsin, with funding available to accelerate biomedical research and population health studies, advance innovations in health education and workforce development, and support changes to policies and systems that impact health across the state.

In addition to these funding opportunities, we are also seeking individuals with a broad range of expertise to serve as merit reviewers for each RFA. This is a great opportunity for those not applying to help guide AHW’s funding awards.

Get details at this link.

A grant funding opportunity announcement has been posted for injection drug use prevention services. The DHS Division of Care and Treatment Services is soliciting applications from vendors that demonstrate evidence-based strategies and innovative approaches for expanding and/or enhancing services to people who inject drugs. Proposals are due by 4 p.m. October 16, 2020. View the grant funding opportunity announcement.

In partnership with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Forward Community Investments is launching another $50,000 round of their COVID-19 Nonprofit Emergency Capacity Building Grant to support small nonprofits working to reduce racial and economic disparities that have changed their operational model or services due to COVID‐19 in Milwaukee County.

In order to be eligible to receive one of these $2,500 grants, organizations must:

FCI is committed to providing these funds to those who need them in the most expedited way possible so our application process is intended to take less than 15 minutes. The submission deadline is Tuesday, September 22. For full details, visit their website.

The second annual Minority Health Film Festival uses film to spark conversation and create critical dialogue around well-being. By connecting film with personal health experiences, the festival confronts stigmas and removes barriers limiting wellness discussions – ultimately helping our community address health disparities in minority communities. The virtual festival will showcase over 50 films addressing minority health for families, communities, and institutions. Throughout the festival, panels and Q&As will give more insight on key topics that impact minority health. Get details and tickets here.

Homelessness is a complex issue caused by variety of factors including mental health, substance abuse, social or economic problems. The solution to the problem can be equally complex. The Homeless Outreach Team concept is a collaborative community-driven, multi-disciplinary approach to engaging those experiencing homelessness, meeting them where they are at, overcoming barriers and working for a dignified permanent solution to their temporary situation. This training is provided at no cost thanks to MIRACLE and NAMI-Wisconsin. Get details and register here.

Did you know some Milwaukee residents are exposed to twice as much tobacco marketing compared to residents of the surrounding suburbs? Find out where candidates in Wisconsin Assembly District 8 (Sylvia Ortiz-Velez and Angel Sanchez) stand on issues related to creating healthy communities, with a focus on tobacco prevention, substance abuse, and COVID-19. This event will be held from 5:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 17, on Zoom and Facebook Live and is co-hosted by the Hispanic Tobacco Prevention Network of Wisconsin and the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance. Click on this link to RSVP.

Haga clic en este enlace para registrarse.

The 12th Annual Milwaukee Walk for Recovery will be held virtually this year. Grab a friend and walk (at a safe distance), then tag @MilwaukeeWalkForRecovery on Facebook in your selfie and share your stories. Donations are welcome at milwaukee4recovery.org. 

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. The QPR mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training. The signs of crisis are all around us. We believe that quality education empowers all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know. These online trainings are sponsored by RECAST MKE through the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention in partnership with Community Advocates Public Policy Institute. RSVP here for the September 21 training.

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training allows participants to use trauma-informed care and verbal/non-verbal skills as part of their responses to crisis situations. Crisis Intervention Partners are professionals, paraprofessionals or volunteers and CIT officers are law enforcement officers. CIP and CIT trained personnel volunteer to work with people who suffer with mental illnesses or other cognitive issues in crisis situations. CIP/CIT-trained individuals partner with advocates, providers, families and mental health consumers in their role. This training is provided at no cost thanks to MIRACLE and NAMI-Wisconsin. Get details and register here.

The Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition and People First Wisconsin are celebrating National Voter Registration Day by offering this Zoom training on voter registration, absentee voting, voter rights and resources and more. RSVP and find more voting resources at this link.

Experience Community Building, a unique form of self-care, and learn tools to listen with greater depth and empathy. Click here for more information and to register.

Crisis Intervention Partner (CIP) training is a two-day, 16-hour program modeled after the philosophy of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs. CIP serves as training for students to learn how to use trauma informed care and verbal/non-verbal skills as part of their responses to crisis situations. CIP students are those who have professional or paraprofessional contact with people who suffer with mental illnesses or other cognitive changes and are in crisis. This training is provided at no cost thanks to MIRACLE and NAMI-Wisconsin. Get details and register here.

Wisconsin Community Services is offering this no-cost three-day training on Community Building, a deeper and more authentic way of interpersonal communication, for members of the helping professions. To get more details and to register, click here.

The theme of the online American Public Health Association’s 2020 annual meeting and expo is "Creating the Healthiest Nation: Preventing Violence." Attendees will have 24/7 access to all meeting sessions during or beyond the dates of the meeting. Get details and register here.

Aurora Health’s four-week smoking cessation program, Freshstart, is offered at no cost and teaches participants how quit smoking and not be dependent on nicotine, from the comfort of their own home. Sessions will be held on Wednesdays, 3 to 4 p.m., from October 28 through November 18 on Zoom and are sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Register by emailing Laurie.dlouhy@aah.org.

A traumatic event such last week’s violence and civil unrest in Kenosha and often brings out strong emotions that need attention. We’ve collected some resources for coping with the aftermath of community trauma and stress, and understanding the special needs of children during traumatic events.

September is Suicide Prevention Month, which means it’s a good time to review and share SAMHSA’s suicide prevention resources. You’ll find contact information, videos, resources for specific populations, and much more.

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. Click here for details and to order.

Check out the City of Milwaukee Health Department’s FAQs on preventing COVID-19, the new mask ordinance, and more at this link.

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.

The 2020 Census is underway and the most important thing you can do is respond when you receive your invitation. Responding now will minimize the need for the Census Bureau to send census takers out into communities to follow up. Go to my2020census.gov to be counted.