Issue 9-1 | January 6, 2020
News
Spotlight On:
New Year Brings New Regulations on Vaping
Last year, the public became more aware of the dangers posed by vaping as  more than 50 people have died  as a result of lung injury, most likely after vaping marijuana with vitamin E acetate.

At the same time, new national surveys found that vaping is becoming more popular among high school students, and a statewide survey found that  one in five Wisconsin high school students  reported using e-cigarettes.

Policy makers grappled with how to go about regulating e-cigarettes and vapes, such as the pod-based JUUL products. On the one hand, regulators want to prevent youth from becoming hooked on nicotine while still keeping the products on the market.

To address these concerns, by the end of the year  a number of new regulations were enacted .

City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance Celebrated Its Advocates
At its final meeting of 2019, the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance recognized local advocates who are fighting for better health, a cleaner environment, and equity in health and wellbeing. The Alliance recognized:

Youth Advocates of the Year

  • Destiny Wright, Neu Life FACT
  • Tamesha Roberson, Neu Life FACT

LGBTQ Advocates of the Year

  • Michael Gonzalez, UWM Zilber School of Public Health
  • Zoe Whorrall, Safe and Sound

Local Champions of the Year

  • Teresa Mercado, Mexican Fiesta
  • Dr. Malika Siker, Medical College of Wisconsin

Innovative Community Partnership

  • Erin Keleske, Plastic Free MKE

Congratulations go out to these champions!
Save the Date
Together for Children Conference
April 21-22
The 33rd Annual Greg and Mary Ann Renz Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, organized by Children’s Wisconsin and Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin, will be held at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake. The conference is scheduled for April 21 and 22, with a Seminar Day on April 23. Keynote speakers are Cori Jewel Jensen on sex offenders and Lt. Joe Laramie (ret.). The full-day trainings on April 23 are "Understanding the Impact and Risks for Children Living with Domestic Violence" and "Hot Topics in Forensic Interviewing." Details and registration can be found here.
Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator Training
April 28-May 1
This Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator course presented by REDGen is open to professionals and paraprofessionals alike. Each provider will learn to use an eight-chapter video-based manualized program that presents examples of secure and problematic parent/child interaction, healthy options in caregiving, and animated graphics designed to clarify principles central to Circle of Security. Circle of Security Parenting implements decades of attachment research in an accessible step-by-step process for use in group settings, home visitation, or individual counseling. This training will be held April 28-May 1 at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 Santa Monica Blvd., Milwaukee. Early-bird price is $1,000 through March 31. Register here.
Mental Health America 2020 Annual Conference
June 11-13
The theme of Mental Health America’s 2020 conference is "From Resiliency to Recovery." It’ll be held Jun 11-13 in Washington, D.C. Registration is open here
Events
Milwaukee Child Abuse Prevention Services Coalition Meeting
Monday, January 13
All are welcome to attend the public policy committee meeting of the Milwaukee Child Abuse Prevention Services (MCAPS) coalition. The committee meets the second Monday of each month from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, 225 W. Vine St., Milwaukee. Its next meeting is Monday, January 13. Email Kari Lerch if you are interested in attending.
Mindful Self-Compassion Training
January 13-March 16
Mindful Self-Compassion is designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion, which serves as a foundation for compassion for others. It will be offered on eight Mondays, from January 13 to March 16 (no class on January 20 or February 17) from 9 to 11:40 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. A free preview will be held at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 6. Check out the website for more information and to register. 
Milwaukee County Executive Candidate Forum
Tuesday, January 14
~Registration is Required~
The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force, Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition, and the MIRACLE Network are organizing this nonpartisan forum for candidates for Milwaukee County executive. It’ll be held during the Task Force’s regular meeting, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14, at Independence First, 540 S. First St., Milwaukee. Space is limited so registration is required at this link.
Parent Village
January 14-May 12
This is a free weekly get-together for parents, grandparents, and caregivers to explore ways to support themselves and their families. These are stand-alone offerings; participants can come to one week or all of them. They will be held Tuesday evenings, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Rite-Hite Family YMCA, 9250 N. Green Bay Road, Milwaukee. Childcare is offered at no cost by YMCA staff. It’s sponsored by Rogers Behavioral Health, Samaritan Family Wellness, Wisconsin Initiative for Stigma Elimination (WISE), and CompassionMKE. RSVPs are appreciated to plan for snacks and child care support. Email Alexis at Alexis.Essien@rogersbh.org. Please visit WISE's Facebook page for upcoming events and programs.
Motivational Interviewing: Beginning Skills
January 14 & 21
This two-day professional development workshop explores Motivational Interviewing from a trauma-informed lens. Led by Shawn Smith, Founder of Share Training and Co-founder of the Alma Institute, it’s designed for all human services professional and leaders. It will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on January 14 and January 21 at the Welford Sanders Enterprise Center, 2821 Vel R. Phillips Ave., Milwaukee. Cost is $135 and includes light breakfast and bag lunch. CEUs are available. Register and get details here.
Circle of Support at Community Advocates
Wednesday, January 15
Circles of Support are restorative justice-style gatherings for those who have returned home from incarceration. Meals are served before the gathering. They’re held at five host sites throughout Milwaukee County, including Community Advocates, at various times to provide easy access for participants. Community Advocates' next Circle of Support will be held on Wednesday, January 15, at 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee. The meal begins at 5:30 p.m., with the circle forming at 6 p.m. Check the flyer for additional locations and dates. Interested in attending? Contact Amanda at amanda@projectreturnmilwaukee.org.
Rethinking Justice and Incarceration in Wisconsin:
Violence, Violence, Violence
Where Does It Start and How Do We Deal with It?
Thursday, January 16
Part of the Milwaukee Turners’ Confronting Mass Incarceration initiative, this panel discussion includes Kent Lovern, Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office; Terri Strodhoff, Alma Center; Ray Mendoza, 414LIFE; and Talib Akbar, WISDOM. It'll be moderated by attorney Craig Mastantuono and will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on January 16 at MSOE Michael J. Cudahy Student Center, 1033 N. Broadway, Milwaukee. RSVPs for this free community event are required at this link.
Empowerment Coalition of Milwaukee Workshop
Friday, January 17
The Empowerment Coalition of Milwaukee (ECOM), organized by Community Advocates, will focus on Milwaukee County entitlements/W2/FSET programs at its January meeting. It’ll be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Friday, January 17, at United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, 225 W. Vine St., Milwaukee. Cost is $5 for refreshments and materials. RSVP and get details at this link.
Adult, Parent, and Teen Wellness Circles Facilitator Training
Thursday, January 23
Samaritan Family Wellness is offering a training for those who want to learn how to host six-week Wellness Circles for adult, parent, and teen audiences. The training will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, at Aurora Family Service, 3200 W. Highland Blvd., Milwaukee. Get details and RSVP here by January 16. Space is limited. Cost is $35 for lunch and materials. 
Rethinking Justice and Incarceration in Wisconsin:
Reentry: Ready or Not
Thursday, January 23
Community Advocates' Conor Williams will moderate this panel discussion on reentry from incarceration into the community. The panel will include Kevin Carr, Department of Corrections; Christine Apple, Department of Corrections; Sylvester Jackson, EXPO; and former Gov. Tommy Thompson (invited). This is the final discussion in the Milwaukee Turners' Confronting Mass Incarceration series and will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on January 23 at Turner Hall Ballroom, 1034 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., Milwaukee. RSVPs are required at this link for this free community event.
Mindful/Compassionate Communication
Parent-Child & Family Class
January 23-March 5
This series on Mindful/Compassionate Communication is intended for children ages 7 to 12 with an adult caregiver, although teens are also welcome. Through practice and play, the adult and child will increase their capacity to speak and listen mindfully, understand how to effectively communicate their feelings, and build their connection. It will be held on Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:10 p.m. from January 23 to March 5 at Northwoods, 1572 E. Capitol Drive, Shorewood. Click here for details and to register.
Webinars
CADCA Research into Action Webinar:
Use of Youth-Appealing Advertising among Alcohol and E-Cigarette Brands and its Effect on Youth Consumption
Wednesday, January 8
Dr. Alisa Padon will discuss her recent research on the effects of youth-appealing advertising on youth use of alcohol and e-cigarettes and the implications her findings have for coalition work and how coalitions can work to change policies in their communities regarding alcohol and e-cigarette advertising. The webinar will begin at 12 noon on Wednesday, January 8. Register here.
Pathways to Prosperity and Well-Being:
A New Family-Centered Approach to Human Services Delivery
Wednesday, January 15
Pathways to Prosperity and Well-Being is a pilot program that brings substantive changes to every level of the human service system, from policy formulation, to management and supervision, to practice with families. In this webinar presented by UW-Madison’s Institute for Research on Poverty , staff from Olmsted and Dakota Counties in Minnesota and researchers from the Future Services Institute at the University of Minnesota will discuss the design and initial implementation of the initiative and what they’ve learned so far. The webinar will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 15. Sign up here.
Virtual Training of Trainers: Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training
February 24-28
Prevention Solutions@EDC is offering this intensive, 5-day training of trainers to prepare practitioners to deliver the Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST) independently. Participation involves 18 hours of interactive, online learning, including a review of all training content, 10 group-learning activities, and opportunities to practice training portions of the curriculum. Participants will also receive access to the latest 2018 SAPST and training-of-trainer materials. Cost is $1,300. Get details at this link.
Resources
#NOMOREVerbalAbuse
The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence created a campaign to combat verbal abuse, which nearly half of all men and women in the U.S. have experienced. The #NOMOREVerbalAbuse website offers a pledge and a toolkit with resources.
Drug Overdose Dashboard
The state Department of Health Services launched a new dashboard with data on drug overdose deaths to show county-level rates and statewide trends from 2014 through 2019.
Job Opportunities
Milwaukee Prevention Journal Readers -- do you have:

  • Job openings?
  • Upcoming events?
  • News to share?
  • Suggestions?

Forward the information to Prevention@CommunityAdvocates.net . Thank you for your service to Milwaukee!
Community Advocates Public Policy Institute | 414-270-2950  | ppi.communityadvocates.net
Community Advocates is supported by ReCAST MKE, a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services, under Grant No. 5H79SM063524.