The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) hosted a first-of-its-kind series of Overdose Prevention Summits for First Responders focused on overdose prevention training and education for emergency services workers and local leaders. The summits were held in each region of the state throughout April and brought together more than 250 first responders from almost 130 agencies to discuss local overdose prevention strategies.

“DHS continues to lead statewide efforts to further reduce overdose deaths and the impacts substance use has on Wisconsin communities,” said Paula Tran, state health officer and administrator of the Division of Public Health. “Still, this work cannot be done alone, and DHS recognizes that first responders and public safety officials are essential partners in saving lives. They are often the first on the scene and routinely respond to overdoses.”

The Overdose Prevention Summit for First Responders series allowed first responders to learn local solutions from their peers and network with others working in overdose prevention. A combined total of 43 speakers presented at the five summits, which were held in different parts of the state to maximize regional participation.

The summit series comes at a time when Wisconsin and the nation are seeing a changing drug landscape. While fentanyl continues to be a concern, there is a growing problem of medetomidine being added to drug supplies. Medetomidine is a sedative that is not approved for human use and has been found mixed with fentanyl in the northeast part of the country. DHS continues to monitor drug trends and by strengthening relationships between public health and first responders, will continue to improve overdose response efforts to address the unpredictable nature of today’s drug supply to save more lives.

Preventing deaths from drug overdoses remains a priority for DHS through programs that span prevention, treatment, and recovery. DHS is committed to implementing evidence-based programming where public health and first responders can work together to prevent overdoses and improve the overall health and safety of Wisconsin communities. In recent years, this has included the implementation of the Wisconsin Suspected Overdose Alerts for Rapid Response (WiSOARR), a surveillance tool for local partners, including first responders. DHS continues to support the expansion of peer supports for people in recovery in multiple settings, including an additional $1 million to fund people transitioning from jail back into the community to reduce recidivism. Further, a mobile response team is in its second year of providing needed essential services, including overdose prevention supplies, education, and wound care. Technical assistance centers have also been established to support local overdose prevention efforts.

“As a result of these efforts, combined with the work our partners are doing at the local level, overdose deaths in Wisconsin decreased by 42.5% in 2023-2024,” said Michelle Haese, director of substance use initiatives at DHS. “We are encouraged by this data—it tells us that what we are doing is working and to stay the course. And we need to look at ways to expand and innovate our programming.”

Innovative substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery support programming will be highlighted at the upcoming Wisconsin Substance Use Summit hosted by DHS August 5-6, 2026. All people interested in building healthy communities are invited to attend this event in Green Bay or virtually from any location. The agenda and information on how to register are available on the DHS website.

More information about substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery can be found on the DHS website.