From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— State officials are promoting this year’s spring Drug Take Back Day, with more than 165 events planned around the state this Saturday.
The state Department of Justice recently announced more than 265 law enforcement agencies are participating in the initiative, which aims to provide Wisconsin residents with a safe way to dispose of unwanted medications such as opioids.
This year’s effort is taking place against a backdrop of falling opioid overdose deaths in the state, dropping 42.5% between 2023 and 2024, from 1,422 to 818.
Michelle Haese, director of substance use initiatives for the state Department of Health Services, says programs like this play a role in fighting the opioid epidemic, along with other efforts.
“Removing unneeded or unused prescriptions from the home is a simple yet powerful step we can all take to keep our families, friends, and communities safer and healthier,” she said in a statement.
Data from the Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program show more than 8.5 million monitored prescription drugs were dispensed in the state last year. For the first three months of this year, that number exceeded 2.1 million.
Find participating locations here, and see more in the DOJ release below.
— Caravel Autism Health is opening a new autism therapy clinic in Sheboygan today.
The behavioral care provider announced the grand opening of the facility, which offers diagnostic evaluation, family support, counseling services and more. The company specializes in applied behavior analysis, or ABA, therapy.
This approach involves using positive reinforcement to help children improve their social skills and communication. Giovanna Safina, clinic director for Caravel, says “the best possible scenario” for a child with autism is to experience ABA therapy during early developmental years.
Caravel has at least 77 locations across nine states, including 27 in Wisconsin, according to its website.
See the release below.
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