Building Community Capacity to Respond to Substance Use Disorder Through Partnership

Waukesha County continues to strengthen its community-wide response to substance use through new, evidence-based training opportunities now available locally through the Addiction Policy Forum (APF). These trainings are being brought to the community through the leadership of Meghan Ballard and Heidi Begovatz, both active members of the CHIP Substance Use Action Team and long-standing partners within the Substance Use Action Coalition (formerly the Heroin Task Force).

Their work reflects a core CHIP principle: meaningful progress on complex issues like substance use happens through cross-sector partnership, shared learning, and coordinated action.

Following participation in APF’s national Anti-Stigma Institute, Meghan and Heidi are now certified to deliver multiple APF trainings locally, expanding access for residents, service providers, employers, first responders, faith leaders, and other community partners. By embedding these trainings within existing CHIP and Heroin Task Force networks, Waukesha County is ensuring that evidence-based education reaches those best positioned to make a difference.

The Addiction Policy Forum is a national nonprofit founded by families impacted by addiction and dedicated to ending addiction as a major public health concern. Its work aligns closely with CHIP Substance Use strategies, including stigma reduction, prevention and early intervention, and increased use of evidence-based treatment.

Encompass: Navigating Addiction (8-Hour Training)

The Encompass training is a comprehensive, eight-hour program designed to support individuals and families navigating substance use disorders. It provides in-depth education on the science of addiction, treatment options, communication strategies, and self-care, while helping participants understand how to support loved ones and develop realistic action plans.

Participants learn:

• The latest research on substance use disorders
• Signs and symptoms of addiction
• Assessment and treatment options, including medications for addiction treatment
• How to access recovery supports
• Strategies for starting difficult conversations and setting healthy boundaries

When Encompass was implemented across 22 Ohio counties, evaluations showed increased addiction knowledge and confidence, alongside meaningful reductions in stigma — outcomes that directly support CHIP Substance Use goals.

Responding to Addiction: Flexible, Community-Focused Training Options

The Responding to Addiction training offers flexible formats — including three-hour, two-hour, and a new 45-minute option — making it easier for community organizations and employers to participate.

This training emphasizes:

• Understanding addiction as a chronic brain disease
• Shifting perspectives from moral judgment to health-based approaches
• Evidence-based treatment and engagement strategies
• Practical skills for recognizing and responding to addiction

Designed for families, employers, educators, clergy, healthcare providers, first responders, and community members, this training strengthens shared language and understanding across sectors — a key outcome of both CHIP and Heroin Task Force collaboration.

Partnership as the Path to Impact

By bringing these trainings to Waukesha County through the CHIP Substance Use Action Team and the Heroin Task Force, Meghan and Heidi are helping translate national best practices into local action. In addition to the trainings, partners now have access to a continually updated library of resources, including ready-to-use social media campaigns, videos, “Language Matters” fact sheets, and research-based materials that can be shared across organizations.

This work highlights how partnerships, between public health, healthcare, emergency services, behavioral health providers, employers, and community organizations, create momentum that no single agency could achieve alone. Through shared leadership and coordinated strategy, Waukesha County continues to advance a compassionate, evidence-based response to substance use that supports individuals, families, and the broader community.

Organizations interested in hosting a training or learning more are encouraged to connect through the CHIP Substance Use Action Team chip@waukeshacounty.gov.