Substance Misuse
Action Team
Prevents and reduces substance misuse through education and advocacy.
2024 Meeting times:
Jan. 16, March 12, May 21, July 16, Sept. 17 and Nov. 19 from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Co-Chairs: Lorraine Smith and Renee Sommer
Why is this an important health issue in Eau Claire?
Alcohol misuse and drug use continue to be top health priorities in Eau Claire County. Both alcohol misuse and drug use can cause harm to the entire community. Below are some ways Eau Claire County is impacted by alcohol misuse and/or drug use:
27% of Eau Claire County residents engage in excessive drinking, which is higher than both state and national averages
Eau Claire County has a higher percentage of alcohol-related hospitalizations than the state of WI
In the last community health assessment, residents shared the concern that drugs are easily available in the community (72% of respondents)
51% of respondents to the CHA also indicated that treatment is not easy to access and too expensive
Eau Claire County has almost double the number of drug arrests per 100,000 people than the state of WI
Eau Claire County, along with the rest of the country, is seeing an increase in both fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses
Goals and
Objectives:
2021-2024
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Objective 1: By the end of 2024, support or implement strategies directed at youth and adults to change social norms and behaviors around alcohol misuse.
Objective 2: By the end of 2024, implement community-based strategies that reduce or remove existing barriers to alcohol misuse treatment services and resources.
Objective 3: By the end of 2024, support, expand, or implement strategies to improve the community’s knowledge, skills, and behaviors to reduce and prevent alcohol-impaired driving.
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Objective 1: By end of 2024, implement shared strategies across all drug types to prevent and reduce substance misuse in Eau Claire County.
Objective 2: By end of 2024, build community collaboration and capacity around methamphetamine prevention and response work in Eau Claire County.
Objective 3: By end of 2024, increase access to and knowledge of opioid prevention and harm reduction strategies and support resources in Eau Claire County.
Objective 4: By end of 2024, improve community knowledge, skills, and behaviors to prevent and reduce marijuana use in Eau Claire County.
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.
Minutes from our past meetings:
The Substance Misuse Action team grounds our work in the team mission, vision and values listed here.
Mission:
Working together to prevent and reduce substance misuse through education and advocacy in Eau Claire County.
Vision:
A community free from the harms of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.
Our Team’s Values
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Community Voice:
We welcome all people into the conversation and to be a part of the solutions, regardless of background or abilities
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Connection:
We foster community connections for collaboration and partnership as we address our common goal
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Data-Driven:
Our work is guided by local data and conditions, and is both practice and evidence based.
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Equity:
Our team take action to address disparities impacting health and wellbeing by focusing on economic, social, and physical environments
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Informative:
Our team focuses on continuous learning and mutual knowledge sharing
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Inviting:
Our work is done with an open mind, acknowledging different viewpoints, with empathy and compassion
Newsletters
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The Substance Misuse Prevention Action Team has a quarterly newsletter to keep parents and guardians informed on drug and alcohol trends, information on new or popular substances, resources to help guide how to have conversations with children about these substances, and much more.
Sign up and view past issues of the Parent & Guardian Newsletter on the Resources Page.
Projects:
Current projects to be added
Responded to and worked to prevent opioid misuse through workshops, and by distributing Narcan nasal spray, medication lockboxes, lock bags, and at-home medication disposal bags.
Promoted RX takeback locations
Connected with SAFE (Students Advocating for Excellence) to create school activisms (peer-to-peer education on topics such as mental health or vaping prevention).
