Better Ways to Cope
For Aging & Disabilities
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.
The Aging & Disabilities Services Overdose Prevention Project is dedicated to supporting older and disabled adults in Milwaukee County who may be at risk of opioid misuse. We joined the Better Ways to Cope Campaign to promote free harm reduction tools, including fentanyl test strips and Narcan, along with essential recovery resources. Our Overdose Prevention Team is currently doing outreach in areas that have been identified as at risk for opioid overdose. To learn more or get support, contact Ricky at 414-363-0765.
The I.D.E.A.L. Approach
Our goal is to educate the community, develop partnerships, and reduce overdose deaths in Milwaukee County by focusing our efforts on underserved areas. Stimulant users are overdosing on fentanyl daily. We need to raise awareness about the seriousness of substance misuse and its impact on our communities.
To reduce overdoses/deaths in Milwaukee County, we implement the I.D.E.A.L. approach:
- Identifying high-risk areas
- Developing community partnerships
- Educating About Harm Reduction Services
- Assessing/referring to services
- Linking to peer support and SUD treatment services
Learn How To Use Harm Reduction Supplies
The harm-reduction supply demonstration videos feature community leaders teaching you how to use the supplies found in all of the Harm-Reduction Vending Machines. Grab as many supplies as you'd like and watch the demonstration videos to learn how to use them. Each video includes downloadable instructions you can share on social media, keep on your refrigerator, give to your friends and print for community events.
Harm Reduction Vending Machine
Fentanyl Test Strips
Fentanyl test strips help prevent drug overdoses and reduce harm. Test your drugs before using them to ensure there is no Fentanyl present.
Nasal Narcan Kit
Naloxone is a life-saving medication that reverses opioid-related overdoses from prescription and street drugs.
Get Harm Reduction Supplies Mailed To Your Home
Milwaukee has partnered with Vivent Health to deliver free harm reduction products to residential homes. Here is what you need to know before you order:
- Condoms are for personal use only.
- Items should never be resold to others.
- Items are subject to substitution based on availability.
- If you order more than 25 total items, your order may be delayed.
Adult Protective Services
Serves Milwaukee County residents ages 18 through the end of lifespan with differing abilities and/or advanced age that have been impacted by abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and financial exploitation. Electronic referral form: county.milwaukee.gov/apsrefer
Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC)
Information and assistance on a broad range of programs and services for older adults and adults with disabilities to meet their needs and help them remain independent.
Core services of the ADRC include:
Information & Assistance, Benefits Specialists, Options Counseling, Youth Transition, Prevention, and Wellness. Staff assist individuals to plan for short-term and long-term needs, access community services and resources, and learn about programs and benefits available.
Area Agency on Aging Unit
The Area Agency on Aging supports a comprehensive, coordinated, community-based services network for older adults so they can live healthy, engaged lives in the community. Services include: Senior Centers, Senior Dining, Meals on Wheels, Home Chore Assistance, Transportation, Evidence-Based Wellness Programs, Caregiver Supports, Legal Services and Elder Benefits Specialists, Late Life Counseling, Financial Navigators, and Telephone Reassurance.
Burial Assistance Program
Milwaukee County provides financial assistance for a burial or cremation of a Milwaukee County resident, who does not have any assets to cover funeral expenses and who does not qualify for the State of Wisconsin Funeral and Cemetery Aids Program.
Dementia Care Specialists
The Dementia Care Specialist Program supports people with dementia and their caregivers to ensure the highest quality of life possible while living at home. The DCS can provide free information, assistance and support to adults with memory concerns and or dementia and their family members or caregivers. Some of the DCS services include dementia specific programing, outreach, family consultations, care planning, community events, memory screening and more.
MCTS WisGo Reduced Fare Card
For persons 65 years of age and older, children ages 6-12, persons enrolled in Medicare, Transit Plus clients, or persons with qualifying disabilities receive $1 rides on MCTS buses, paying no more than $2 per day, $11/week and $32/month. The Reduced Fare can be used with the card, UMO app or cash. With a multitude of routes, the MCTS buses can take you throughout the county.
Emergency Services - 24/7
If you, a family member, or a friend is experiencing a mental health emergency, go to the Mental Health Emergency Center (MHEC) located at 1525 N. 12th Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53205. A mental health emergency refers to a situation in which you or your friend/family member poses an immediate risk to themselves or others. Examples of mental health emergencies may include:
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Thoughts of suicide, self-harm or harming others
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Violent, erratic or aggressive behavior
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Significant worsening of mental health symptoms
*Like any medical emergency, sometimes distance matters and it may be best to go to the nearest emergency department for a quick clinical assessment or call 911.
For More Information, Contact Us Today!
Ricky Person BA, CSAC, ICS Opioid Prevention Coordinator
(414)289-6932 (office)
Milwaukee County DHHS Aging & Disabilities Services
1230 W. Cherry Street | Milwaukee, WI 53205