Substance Misuse

Works to reduce alcohol and substance misuse by increasing access to harm reduction resources, addressing social norms, and preventing youth substance use through education and community awareness.

a woman sitting on the edge of a pier reading a book

Why is this an important health issue in Eau Claire?

Alcohol and substance misuse continue to be top health priorities in Eau Claire County. Both alcohol and substance misuse can cause harm to the entire community. Below are some ways Eau Claire County is impacted by alcohol and/or substance misuse:

26% of Eau Claire County residents engage in excessive drinking, which is above both state and national averages.
34% of high school students who have consumed alcohol did so before the age of 13.
Eau Claire County has a higher percentage of motor vehicle deaths involving alcohol compared to Wisconsin and national averages.
50% of community members who responded to the CHA believe that illegal substances are visible in the community.
Eau Claire County’s rate of methamphetamine overdose deaths (3.1 per 100,000) is 55% higher than Wisconsin’s average.
11% of high school students reported vaping within the past month.

Goals and

Objectives:

2025-2027

Objective 1.1: By December 2017, 1) conduct an assessment to identify barriers to accessing substance misuse resources and 2) implement two solutions to identified barriers, with input from people with lived experience.
Objective 1.2: By December 2026, use best practices to create a community awareness campaign about the benefits of harm reduction to change stigma around it, centering the voices of people with lived experience.
Objective 2.1: By December 2026, conduct quarterly education or outreach to caregivers of youth in grades K-12 about the harms of normalizing drinking.
Objective 2.2: By December 2027, implement at least four strategies to decrease youth access to and availability of alcohol and tobacco products.
Objective 2.3: By December 2027, maintain and expand partnerships to share vaping prevention and cessation resources throughout the county to youth and young adults, focusing on youth who have the highest risk.

Goals and objectives are developed based on root cause analysis, current evidence, state and national plans, and community input, assets, and readiness. More information on this process can be found in Eau Claire County’s Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan.