In this Issue:

• News
• Events & Webinars
• Community Resources
• Los Recursos Familial en Español
• Family Resources in English
• Job Opportunities

Spotlight On:

Light & Unite RED Week 2024

Join Us in Shining a Light on

Substance Use Prevention

March 18-24, 2024

RISE Drug Free MKE coalition partners, with the support of Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services, is presenting Light & Unite Red Week from March 18 to March 24, in conjunction with National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week. This year, we’re offering a mix of enlightening events and activities to show our support for preventing and reducing substance misuse in Milwaukee County.

Some of these activities include:

• Lighting the Hoan RED on March 20
• Prevention Trivia Night and Sip Responsibly and Paint Night at Safe & Sound
• Mocktails and Yoga, AODA Bingo, AODA Jeopardy, and a screening of "Billy" at Pathfinders Drop-In Center
• South Shore Resource Fair organized by South Shore CARES
• Language Matters: Dignifying Lived Experiences Through Words Webinar presented by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute
• Community Care Night: Addiction, Healing, and Recovery organized by the Dominican Center, RISE Drug Free MKE, and Community Advocates Public Policy Institute

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Like and follow Light & Unite Red on Facebook for information and resources about substance use prevention
• Wear RED, post your picture on Facebook, and tag @LightUniteRed so we can share your support
• Check out our calendar of events on the RISE Drug Free MKE website
• Attend an event!

News

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute & Milwaukee County

Health and Human Services



Request for Proposals:

ARPA Early Childhood Initiative

Due Friday, March 15, 2024

by 5 p.m. CST

The Community Advocates Public Policy Institute invites proposals from not-for-profit organizations or government entities servicing Milwaukee County to provide programming and services directed toward early childhood.

Funding is made available through the Milwaukee County DHHS Children Youth & Family Services (CYFS). Early childhood has broad and significant impacts on the overall health and wellbeing of all Milwaukee County youth and their families. The economic and health costs of not having a robust early childhood system are substantial. The most effective way to address these issues is to invest in building a stronger system.

The Community Advocates Public Policy Institute will allocate approximately $800,000 in early childhood and family strengthening funding in 2024 based on this Request for Proposal’s competitive application process. It is estimated that 5-6 projects will be funded with a maximum grant award of $135,000.

All applications are due Friday, March 15, 2024, by 5 p.m. Central Standard Time. Review of applications will begin promptly, approved proposals will be notified of the funding no later than Friday, March 29, 2024, for a contract start date of Monday, April 1, 2024. All funding must be expended no later than August 31, 2025.

2024 Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit

May 7 through May 9

Registration Is Open

The Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit is an annual event organized by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services that highlights prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery strategies related to opioids, stimulants, and trauma. All people with an interest in building healthy communities are invited to attend. It will be held May 7 through May 9 in person at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells but a virtual option is available. 

2024 HOPES Award

The HOPES Award is presented annually at the Prevent Suicide Wisconsin Conference to an individual or organization who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to suicide prevention in Wisconsin. The HOPES Award is dedicated to Helping Others Prevent and Educate About Suicide, a group of suicide loss survivors who spearheaded Wisconsin’s suicide prevention efforts for 19 years. Any interested party may nominate an individual or organization whose primary suicide prevention efforts have impacted residents of Wisconsin. The awards will be presented on May 2 at 8am. Nominations are due March 22.

Join the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force March meeting, which will focus on Milwaukee County Mental Health and will feature a panel discussion with the new executive board of the Mental Health Board.

Presenters include:

• Mary Neubauer: Chair, Mental Health Board; first chair of the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force Steering Committee
• Kathy Eilers: Vice Chair, Mental Health Board; former administrator of Behavioral Health Division and licensed clinical psychologist
• Shirley Drake: Secretary, Mental Health Board; Certified Peer Specialist

This meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 12, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Independence First, 540 S. First Street. A virtual option via Zoom will also be held, but attendance in person for community and networking is encouraged.

This three-part virtual series organized by the Southeast Region of the Alliance for Wisconsin Youth is to help those working in prevention and/or coalition leaders to facilitate top-notch meetings. All sessions are scheduled for 1 to 2 p.m. on the following dates. Register for one or all three at the link below.

• Session 1, March 13: Shared Decision-Making and Building Consensus Within Coalitions
• Session 2, March 20: Creative Dialogue and Engagement Styles
• Session 3, March 27: Setting Your Coalition Meetings Up for Success!

The Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board will host five listening sessions throughout March to gather feedback on their current grants, future grants, and next strategic plan. These listening sessions are open to any organization. The board is particularly interested in receiving feedback from community-based agencies, coalitions, tribes, family resource centers, and funders as well as any other agencies providing services to children and families.

Each listening session will have limited space to allow for small breakout rooms. If additional listening sessions are needed, more will be added in the month of April.

The same questions will be asked at each listening session. The board is looking for your feedback on funding priorities for direct services to strengthen families. They also want to hear about your community needs, your agency’s funding needs and how the board can better support your work.

Register at the links below:

• Tuesday, March 19: 9 to 10:30 a.m.
• Friday, March 22: 9 to 10:30 a.m.
• Monday, March 25: 1 to 2:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 27: 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Join the Northeast and Caribbean PTTC for this interactive, three-part webinar series to explore everything you ever needed to know about risk and protective factors.

Session 1, Risk and Protective Factors 101, will introduce risk and protective factor theory, including definitions and key characteristics, and will present a process for identifying the factors that are most relevant to your community’s priority problems. It will be held on March 19, from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. RSVP for Session 1

Session 2, Shared Risk and Protective Factors, will make the case for prioritizing shared risk and protective factors, or factors that affect outcomes across multiple issues or behaviors, and will highlight examples of substance misuse-related factors that also influence other behavioral health issue areas across various contexts. It will be held on Tuesday, March 26, from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. RSVP for Session 2

Session 3, Going Deeper on Protective Factors, will explore the importance of harnessing protective factors to advance our prevention aims and the rationale for taking a systems-level approach to promoting healthy development for all members of our communities as part of our substance misuse prevention efforts. It will be held on April 2, from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. RSVP for Session 3

Dr. Nicole Robinson and Dr. David Pate will present this overview of gentrification in Black neighborhoods with an environmental justice twist, distinguish carceral displacement from carceral gentrification, and present implications for housing development and re-entry initiatives to preserve Black neighborhoods. This virtual session will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on March 20. 

The Empowerment Coalition of Milwaukee (ECOM) is a monthly gathering of social services professionals and advocates organized by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute. ECOM meets the third Wednesday of the month throughout the year and explores topics that are vital to Milwaukee’s human services professionals. March’s topic is Medicaid/Insurance Training & W2.

Fee is $5 for light refreshments and materials and can be paid via credit card. Registrations are not refundable. ECOM will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on March 20; location TBD.

This webinar from the Northeast and Caribbean PTTC will review misunderstandings and barriers to helping people who actively use substances. The content will briefly review current substance use with opioids, fentanyl, xylazine, nitazene, and synthetic cannabinoids, will inform on the eight principles of harm reduction and how they apply in behavioral health, and offer community resources. It will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on March 20.

Experiencing poverty in childhood can hinder a person’s opportunities throughout their lifetime, and those of their children and grandchildren as well. A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) examines the causes of intergenerational poverty and its impact on families, communities, and the nation as a whole. In this webinar from University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty, three members of the committee that produced the report will discuss their findings on what data-driven policies and practices can interrupt this cycle that has negatively affected the health, well-being, and educational and employment outcomes of generations in some households, particularly those of low-income people of color. It will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on March 20.

During this virtual workshop, you will learn how to increase safety by utilizing verbal de-escalation techniques. Participants will explore foundational information on how to reduce the level of conflict through self-knowledge, understand how past experiences influence current behavior, and practice de-escalation. This session is organized by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute and will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on March 25 via Zoom.

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. This two-hour interactive introduction to suicide awareness and prevention will also cover statistics and intervention strategies. It’s organized by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute and will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on March 25.

This interactive training invites learners to reflect on their cultural identities, history, and experiences that influence and often cultivate both providers and client/patient perspectives. Further, the content will bring the concepts of cultural humility and cultural competence together as essential components for culturally responsive care in meeting the needs of racial, ethnic, and other marginalized communities.

This training from the Northeast & Caribbean ATTC will be facilitated in three virtual (Zoom) sessions on March 25, 27, and 29, from 9:30am-1:30pm (12 hours), including self-study training assignments (3 hours), to total 15 hours of training. Participants must fully attend all of the sessions in order to receive a certificate of completion.

Sneak Preview of this intriguing exhibit. Same Game Different Smokers is an exploration of the troubling relationship the tobacco industry has had with the Black Community over the last 400+ years. A collection of archival ads and images are brought together to answer some extremely important questions. Guest Speakers are Carol McGruder, the founding member and co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC), and Tracy Brown, an Independent Curator, Artivist (Artist Activist) and Capacity Building Consultant. She is the curator of Same Game Different Smoker. This no-cost event will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at America’s Black Holocaust Museum, 401 W. North Ave., Milwaukee.

The first step on your fostering journey is to attend one of these information sessions, held by Wellpoint Care Network specifically for prospective foster parents. Whether virtual or in-person, these sessions give you an opportunity to connect with Wellpoint Care staff, learn more about the licensing process and have your questions answered. This session will be held virtually from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 28.

Join Advocate Aurora Health’s Smoking Cessation Program, Freshstart, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. The primary goal of Freshstart is to help participants plan a successful quit attempt by teaching effective ways to overcome nicotine dependence. Freshstart information, activities and discussion topics help participants discover why they smoke and what motivates them to quit. Freshstart is offered at no cost, and will be held virtually via Zoom from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on four Tuesdays in April.

Hey, there,

-- 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!

April is Family Strengthening Month: Toolkit and Resources

The Family Strengthening Month toolkit from the Celebrate Children Foundation aims to support programs in Wisconsin that will introduce activities to help strengthen families during the month of April and throughout the year. It provides information to communities, organizations, and individuals on how to promote Family Strengthening efforts in April and throughout the year. Access the resources here.

Infant and Toddler Mental Health Fact Sheet

From the state Office of Children’s Mental Health is this fact sheet on mental health issues faced by infants and toddlers, and what’s happening here in Wisconsin. Download it here.

Healthy MKE

De Milwaukee Health Care Partnership y Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services, el sitio web Healthy MKE ofrece una única fuente de información para los servicios públicos y privados en el condado de Milwaukee, donde los proveedores y los miembros de la comunidad pueden obtener la información que necesitan para ayudarse a sí mismos o a otros. Accede a ellos aquí.

Programa de intervención familiar (FIP)

Objetivo del programa de intervención familiar es eliminar importantes barreras que impiden latinos y afroamericanos individuos y familias de buscar servicios de asesoría tradicional. Este programa de manejo de caso intensivo, basado en el hogar, enfoque familiar ofrece servicios de apoyo a las familias que luchan con el impacto de la adicción a la sustancia y la violencia doméstica. Servicios son proporcionados sin costo a la familia. Para obtener más información sobre el programa de intervención familiar, por favor llame a 414-270-4600. Aprende más.

Healthy MKE

From the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership and Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services, the Healthy MKE website offers a single source of truth for public and private services in Milwaukee County, where providers and community members can get the information they need to help themselves or others. Resources are available in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Arabic. Access them here.

Family and Child Resources Guided Search

The Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, in partnership with Family Resource Center parents and staff, developed a 2-1-1 Family and Child guided search. The top three searches are family support centers, child development classes, and parent education. Click here to start your search. 

Positive Options for Women Entering Recovery

Are you worried about your drinking or drug use? You aren’t alone. The Positive Options for Women Entering Recovery (POWER) is here to help. The Milwaukee Women’s Center’s POWER provides FREE day treatment for women struggling with alcohol and other drug issues. Click here to learn more or call 414-270-4600 to get help.

Family Intervention Program (FIP)

Struggling with drug and alcohol use can make you feel alone. Not being able to find a counselor who understands your unique treatment needs can make things even harder. The Family Intervention Program is a no-cost, bilingual English and Spanish drug and alcohol treatment program specifically designed for Black and Latinx individuals and families in Milwaukee. To learn more about the Milwaukee Women’s Center’s Family Intervention Program, please call 414-270-4600 or click this link.

Job Opportunities

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee: Match Maker/Case Manager
• Elevate Inc.: Diversion Program Case Manager
• Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee: Staff Attorney, Guardian ad Litem Division Children’s Court Center Location
• Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee: Social Worker, Guardian ad Litem Division
• Living Our Visions Inc.: Social Worker, Disability Inclusion Specialist
• Next Door Milwaukee: Director of Childcare Partnerships
• Next Door Milwaukee: Education Manager
• Next Door Milwaukee: Monitoring and Compliance Manager
• Oak Creek Health Department: Preparedness Coordinator (Part Time)
• Pathfinders: CORE Occupational Therapist
• Pathfinders: Teacher
• The Salvation Army of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan: Children’s Development Program Assistant
• Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center: Youth & Family Specialist, Teen Crisis and Runaway Program

This newsletter was created and delivered to you thanks to the financial support of Milwaukee County Department of Health & Human Services Behavioral Health Services and other funders.

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute | 414-270-2950 

ppi.communityadvocates.net