If you are seeking drug and/or alcohol treatment in the state of Wisconsin, you may find the cost of treatment to be a barrier. Fortunately, there are options for free addiction recovery resources in Wisconsin. These resources and programs are funded by federal health insurance, such as Medicaid and Medicare, or grants from local, state, nonprofit, or private groups. Below are examples of some of these programs, that are offered by nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and other sources.
Drug Statistics in Wisconsin
Addiction Nonprofits in Wisconsin
Salvation Army Milwaukee Adult Rehabilitation Center
Located in downtown Milwaukee, this program provides food, housing, and substance abuse treatment, including individual and group counseling, to adult men. Assistance in job training and job acquisition are also part of the program.
Community Advocates Public Policy Institute / Alliance for Wisconsin Youth
Funded through the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services, this program is part of a coalition to prevent substance abuse in Wisconsin youth. Services include drug prevention education for teens and parents, sober social events, and community outreach.
Elevate
This drug abuse education and advocacy nonprofit organization works with referral agencies
Safe and Sound
This Milwaukee based organization provides programs for neighborhood safety, youth leadership, and community support. They offer newsletters and a Resource Guide on their website that lists job opportunities, food resource and housing opportunities, health updates, and safe events and activities for youth.
Harm Reduction Programs
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services / Safer Use/Harm Reduction
This government webpage offers information on creating a protection plan to reduce the likelihood of opioid overdose, the risks associated with injecting opioids, prescription opioid medication safety, and how to acquire and administer naloxone, along with a map of purchase locations.
Unified Community Services
This community program offers free one on one, in person training at various locations in Wisconsin, on the use of Narcan to reverse opioid overdose and save lives. Mini-conference trainings are also offered periodically.
Milwaukee County Health & Human Services Behavioral Health Department
The Milwaukee County Health & Human Services Behavioral Health Department offers a website with information on opioid addiction, treatment, and a map of locations where Narcan vending machines can be found. Each vending machine includes Narcan, fentanyl testing strips, and medication lock bags. Supplies are free and include educational resources.
Government Grants & Resources
The Wisconsin Addiction Recovery Helpline
This statewide helpline is available 24/7 every day of the week. It can be accessed by calling 211 or 833-944-4673. There is also a live online chat room option where assistance can be accessed through real-time text messaging. Access the chat option at 211wisconsin.communityos.org/addiction-helpline.
Community Access to Recovery Services (CARS)
This state program, affiliated with the Milwaukee County Health and Human Services Department, provides community support programming and substance abuse recovery support linkages, including referrals to peer support, parenting assistance, and supported employment. They also have a Clubhouse and drop-in centers.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services / Substance Use Disorders
This state government program provides a website with information on substance use disorder, prevention, and harm reduction. The website also has links to information about how to access free sterile injection equipment, nasal Narcan, fentanyl test strips, and rapid Hepatitis C and HIV tests.
College Addiction Resources
University of Wisconsin – Madison Alcohol Information on Campus
The University of Wisconsin Madison provides a website that offers information and resource options, with links, to help students address alcohol or drug issues. There are links to “e-checkups” (assessments) for alcohol and marijuana use, as well as a drink calculator to help identify problem drinking.
University of Wisconsin Badger Recovery Program
The University of Wisconsin Badger Recovery program is for students who are currently in recovery, or who are considering entering recovery for substance use. The program provides weekly or monthly updates, via listserv messages, alerting them to sober meetings and events on campus.
Madison Area Technical College Mental Health and Counseling Services
Madison Technical College offers free in-person counseling sessions for students. A counselor who specializes in alcohol or drug abuse can help students work through problems with dependency. Mental health “check-in” calls are also available by phone.
St. Norbert College Wellness by Design in Action Resources
This program at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, offers a website (https://www.snc.edu/wellnessinaction/resources.html) that lists wellness resource options, with links, for students. Links to alcohol, drug, and tobacco education materials, addiction support groups, and free addiction treatment facilities can be accessed on the site.
LGBTQ+ Resources
Wisconsin Department of Health Services / LGBTQ Health: General Resources
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services administers this website listing options for addressing health concerns of LGBTQ individuals. The website provides links to mental, physical, and sexual health resources, including substance abuse resources, and HIV education and health-related resources.
Diverse and Resilient
This Milwaukee-based organization offers programs for HIV education, counseling, testing, referral, and treatment. They also offer information and counseling on topics of concerns about sexual issues, healthy relationships, reproductive issues, and gender expression.
Mental Health America of Wisconsin PRISM Program
This program provides a mental health wellness and support resource for LGBT+ youth in Wisconsin. Certified Peer Specialists offer free on-on-one support through a phone access line at 414-336-7974 (Note: the phone line is not staffed 24/7. If no one is available, call again later.) The PRISM program plans to offer in-person groups in Milwaukee and Madison.
Veterans Programs
Veterans Administration (VA) Substance Use Disorder Programs Wisconsin
The VA offers substance abuse disorder (SUD) programs that include counseling and alcohol and opioid treatment medications. Wisconsin has several VA SUD programs, and these can be found on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website, Wisconsin page.
Wisconsin Hero Outdoors
This Delafield, Wisconsin-based organization offers outdoor therapy for veterans and first responders in Wisconsin who are experiencing mental health issues. Working in collaboration with multiple organizations, including the Wisconsin Veterans Association, and other recreational therapy organizations, Wisconsin Hero Outdoors leads hunting and fishing excursions, and offers golf, scuba diving, and equestrian activities.
Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program
The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs offers a Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program (VORP) that connects veterans in the state to case management and community services, with a focus on mental health and substance abuse recovery.
Indigenous & Tribal Programs
Great Lakes Area Opioid Conference
This yearly conference (offered in June) is sponsored by the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, headquartered in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin. The conference focuses on increasing awareness of the dangers of opioid and other substance use. Mental health and prevention topics are highlighted.
Forest County Potawatomi Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Treatment Program
Forest County’s Potawatomi tribe operates a health clinic specializing in alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) treatment. They offer 12-Step recovery programs along with traditional practices, including smudging and talking circles.
The Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Health Clinics
The Ho-Chunk Nation operates two health clinics and five satellite offices. The satellite offices provide public health services, including alcohol/drug treatment. They are staffed by community health nurses and addiction counseling professionals.
Drug Laws in Wisconsin
City of Madison Ordinance on Fake IDs
Madison, home of the University of Wisconsin, has ordinances related to substance use that the University follows. Included is an ordinance stating that no one under age 21 can procure or attempt to procure alcoholic beverages using fake IDs. There is a fine of at least $500 for breaking this rule.
Wisconsin Statute Prohibiting Criminal Prosecution for Intoxication
Wisconsin Statute 51.45, enacted in 2022, made it illegal to criminally prosecute an individual simply for intoxication. Instead, according to the statute, the individual “should receive treatment, so that they can become productive in society.”
Wisconsin Grant Program Supporting “Recovery Schools”
In December 2023, the Wisconsin governor signed a bill into law that will help a Dane County recovery school continue operating. The school, that specializes in teaching students who are in recovery from substance abuse, is one of only 42 such schools in the nation.