DHS Launches New System to Help Communities Track and Respond to Overdose

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has launched an innovative new online tool for people working in overdose spike response, substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. The Wisconsin Suspected Overdose Alerts for Rapid Response (WiSOARR) system will provide near real-time data on when and where suspected overdoses may have occurred to inform immediate actions to address drug overdoses.

“WiSOARR gives our substance use partners a faster and clearer understanding of when and where suspected overdoses are occurring in their communities,” said Michelle Haese, DHS director of substance use initiatives. “This system is a step forward in our ongoing work to better understand and respond to the ever-evolving drug overdose epidemic with the right strategies at the right time.”

Using data that includes suspected overdose data from ambulance runs and emergency department visits, the system allows users to monitor local trends, set and receive alerts around community-specific thresholds, and connect to essential spike response resources.

The WiSOARR system is not available to the public. Publicly available, anonymous data on confirmed drug overdoses and other substance use data will remain available on the DHS website. The launch of the system follows reports from across the nation that suspected overdose deaths are trending down for the first time since 2018.

In addition to data tracking tools like WiSOARR, the DHS response to the drug overdose epidemic includes public education on how to talk about substance use to build supportive communities; free distribution of naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication, and drug-checking supplies like fentanyl test strips; as well as investments in harm reduction response programs, additional treatment and recovery supports like mobile clinics, and programs that connect people who have experienced an overdose with people in recovery from a substance use disorder who support and guide the overdose survivor to better health and wellness.

Find more information about WiSOARR on the DHS website.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.