Wisconsin Department of Health Services

You spoke, we listened

In January 2022, we listened to Wisconsinites explain the profound impact of the opioid epidemic and potential strategies to save lives. Our goal was to gather input from a broad group of stakeholders to inform our use of future opioid settlement funds.

• 598 people attended one of our 12 listening sessions.
• 897 comments submitted through our input survey.

We heard from substance use services providers, family and friends of people with a substance use disorder, and people living with a substance use disorder.

Summary: Invest across the continuum from prevention to recovery

We heard that supporting policy and systems change is essential to success. The remainder of the feedback falls into one of the areas listed below.

• Address root causes. Address the social determinants of health. Improve access to mental health services. Bolster family stability. Reduce people's exposure to trauma and the impact of trauma.
• Prevent proactively. Provide evidence-based substance use prevention education, especially in K-12 schools, as well as in communities. Consider including voices of those with lived experience to reduce stigma in communities.
• Enhance harm reduction. Maintain and expand harm reduction strategies, including needle exchange, safe use sites, increased access and use of naloxone/NARCAN®, and fentanyl test strips.
• Expand treatment options. Increase the accessibility and availability of all forms of treatment that follow best practices. Ensure equity in the location and delivery of treatment options.
• Support recovery. Support individuals in recovery with targeted wraparound services. Provide direct support to families with a loved one with substance use disorder.

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