Wisconsin Department of Health Services

A Message from Paul Krupski, DHS Director of Opioid Initiatives

Living through the COVID-19 pandemic this past year and a half has been difficult for everyone. All of us have been affected in different ways. 

It has been a trying time for people struggling with substance use. In 2020, 1,227 Wisconsin residents died from an opioid overdose, driven largely by fentanyl and fentanyl mixed with other drugs. 

We are more committed than ever to our vision of zero opioid-related deaths. This may seem like an unattainable goal, but it is not. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time in over a decade, we experienced a decrease in opioid-related deaths. With your support and partnership, we can prevent the consequences of opioid use.  

We are working on several projects funded in part by new federal and state funding, as well as Wisconsin's share of settlements with the manufacturers and distributors of opioids. We'll provide updates on this work in future newsletters. For now, take a moment to review this newsletter to learn more about some of our current efforts to respond to Wisconsin's opioid epidemic.

More Information.