With opioid-related deaths now outpacing traffic fatalities in Waukesha County, local organizations are working together to expand access to life-saving tools and promote safe medication practices. Recognizing that substance use is one of ProHealth Care’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) priorities, ProHealth Care, Waukesha County Health and Human Services, and the Addiction Resource Council have formed a strong partnership to address this issue through prevention, harm reduction, and community education. As part of these efforts, the partnership has advanced innovative harm reduction strategies, such as installing a naloxone vending machine and creating additional community distribution points. These approaches provide discreet, around-the-clock access to overdose-reversal medication, ensuring help is available when it’s needed most. The collaboration also reached hundreds of families through community events. At the 2024 Waukesha County Fair, staff from ProHealth, Waukesha County HHS, and the Addiction Resource Council distributed 220 naloxone kits, 72 medication lock boxes, and educational resources to more than 400 community members. Each kit and lock box represents a family now better equipped to prevent medication misuse and respond to an emergency. Beyond the fair, the partnership has helped distribute lock boxes at countywide drug take-back events and throughout ProHealth’s hospitals and clinics. These efforts reduce the risk of accidental ingestion, especially among children, and limit the potential for prescription misuse.

By aligning with CHNA priorities and combining ProHealth’s clinical reach with the public health and community expertise of Waukesha County HHS and the Addiction Resource Council, this partnership is creating safer homes and healthier communities. Every lock box placed and every naloxone kit distributed is a step toward preventing tragedy and saving lives.