Our Mission: The RISE Drug Free MKE coalition raises awareness on substance (mis)use, and, through inclusive education, elevates our entire community, from our youth to our elders, out of the harms caused by substance (mis)use.
Established in 2011, the RISE Drug Free MKE coalition (formerly MCSAP) exists to raise awareness to elevate youth in Milwaukee County through education, and to lift the entire community out of harms caused by substance use. With our coalition partners we will RISE to provide youth with Resources for Inclusive Substance Education. RISE is more than a name: It is a call to action, and a promise of the direction we’re moving in as a community, together.
RISE Drug Free MKE prioritizes policies, practices, and programs that address major substance use issues in our community, including marijuana use among youth, problematic drinking, and prescription drug (mis)use.
In 2013, Community Advocates Inc. was awarded the Milwaukee County contract to serve as fiscal agent for the continuing work of RISE Drug Free MKE/MCSAP and the prevention sub-granting process. Since then, technical assistance and staffing has intensified and the coalition has grown to include more than 50 members from a diverse cross-section of the Milwaukee County community—with 15 of the 50 as highly engaged “voting members” helping to lead the coalition.
2023 Impact
- 57,257 people reached on social media
- 607 students participated in Botvin LifeSkills sponsored by the coalition
- 89% of youth said they increased their knowledge, attitudes, and skills to make good choices as a result of LifeSkills course
- 85 people took mental health awareness and substance use prevention trainings via the coalition
- 71,307 prevention materials were distributed by the coalition
MFD Chief Aaron Lipski, RISE Drug Free MKE Chair
RISE Drug Free MKE fills a very key void throughout Milwaukee County, intentionally pulling together a diverse group of individuals from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in a unified effort to prevent and reduce substance use and misuse. This team is as cohesive as I’ve seen (other than my team at the Milwaukee Fire Department, of course). Indeed, through a deliberate process of change management, RISE Drug Free MKE has evolved to also address the current opioid epidemic and its root causes. I am proud of my involvement with RISE Drug Free MKE, am honored to have been selected by the membership to Chair the Coalition, and, due in large part to the depth and breadth of dedication and expertise of our partners, I am hopeful for our future.
