The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has announced a new grant program and recognized outstanding local efforts in substance use prevention at the 2025 Wisconsin Substance Use Prevention Conference. The conference, which concluded its two-day event today, brought together nearly 500 participants from behavioral health, education, government, medicine, and public health sectors. This marks the highest attendance in the event’s history.
“Substance use prevention gives us an opportunity to get ahead of challenges,” said DHS Director of Substance Use Initiatives Michelle Haese. “By addressing the root causes of substance use before it takes hold, substance use prevention protects the long-term health and well-being of individuals and strengthens communities.”
Four organizations have each been awarded one-time grants of $250,000 to support community services aimed at preventing non-medical opioid use. These grants are funded through Wisconsin’s portion of opioid settlement funds managed by DHS.
Additionally, DHS has presented awards for exceptional local substance use prevention work. The recipients were chosen from nominations submitted statewide.
The conference is organized biennially by DHS to share best practices from experts in substance use prevention at national, regional, and state levels. More information about ongoing substance use prevention initiatives can be found on the Substance Use: Prevention and Healthy Living page on the DHS website.
Media inquiries can be directed to DHSMedia@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
