Substance Use Treatment

Available services offered

24-Hour Crisis Line

Call (414) 257-7222 text to 988, or chat via www.988LIFELINE.ORG now if you believe you or a loved one is experiencing a crisis.

Eligibility Requirements

Milwaukee County resident 18 years of age and older

Client has a Substance Use History

Client's income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level

Recovery

On the journey to recovery, it is not uncommon for you or your loved ones to participate in and work through a variety of treatment programs. These Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Programs may include:

Detoxification

As of January 1, 2026, First Step Community Recovery Center (Detox) will no longer be funded by Milwaukee County.

We understand this news may cause concern and we are committed to supporting everyone impacted by this change. Please see below for important information.

What You Need to Know: There are additional community resources that can help you with the services you may need. If you need emergency services, you should go to your nearest hospital emergency room.

Residential Treatment

Residential Treatment is a clinically supervised, peer-supported therapeutic environment with clinical involvement. The service provides substance abuse treatment in the form of counseling for 6 - 20 hours per patient weekly, immediate access to peer support through the environment, and intensive case management which may incude direct education and monitoring in the areas of personal health and hygiene, community socialization, job readiness, problem resolution counseling, housekeeping, and financial planning. Our Residential Treatment Providers are:

Meta House - www.metahouse.org, 414-977-5884 or 414-962-1200
United Community Center - www.unitedcc.org, 414-643-8530
Matt Talbot - www.mtrcinc.com, 414-321-5445
Matt Talbot - 2nd Century - www.mtrcinc.com, 414-321-5936
Jeanetta Robinson House - www.jrobinsonhouse.com, 414-376-5445
Serenity Inns - www.serenityinns.org, 414-210-4098
Broadstep Howard House - www.serenityinns.org, 414-210-4098

Outpatient Plus

Outpatient Plus services are designed to meet the substance abuse treatment needs of uninsured and underinsured Milwaukee County residents. Our sole provider of the Outpatient Plus is Wisconsin Community Services. Combining safe, sober, temporary housing (Sankofa House) with a clinical level of care (Unlimited Potentials), Outpatient Plus allows for a gradual reduction in treatment intensity, degree of structure, support, allows for increasing independence, and responsibility based on the consumers' treatment progress.

Group therapy

Outpatient Services

An outpatient treatment service is a non-residential treatment service totaling less than 12-hours of counseling per patient per week, which provides a variety of evaluation, diagnostic, crisis and treatment services relating to substance abuse to eliminate negative symptoms and restore effective functioning. Services include individual counseling, interventions, may include group therapy, and referral to non-substance abuse services that may occur over an extended period.

Day Treatment

Day Treatment consists of group psychotherapy and other intensive therapeutic services that are provided at least two days a week by a multidisciplinary team. Day Treatment may include education and consultation provided to families and other individuals as part of the treatment process. The goal of day treatment is to reduce or relieve substance use concerns and to enable the individual to live in the community.

Medication Assisted Treatment

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a combination of medication, counseling, and behavioral therapy proven to be effective in treating alcohol and opioid dependency. There are several common types of MAT; Vivitrol, Suboxone, and Methadone.