Substance use disorders affect thousands of Wisconsin residents each year, from alcohol misuse, where the state consistently ranks among the nation’s highest, to opioid overdoses, which now surpass motor vehicle accidents as a leading cause of death. These complex behavioral health conditions can cause harm to individuals, families, and communities, creating barriers to recovery and reducing quality of life for those affected.
The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) recognizes the urgency of strengthening substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery. Through strategic investments in research and community-based innovation, AHW is supporting projects that advance patient-centered care, expand the behavioral health workforce, and generate new insights that can improve outcomes for people affected by substance use disorders across Wisconsin.
The effects of substance use disorders extend beyond individual health, placing sustained strain on Wisconsin’s healthcare, child welfare, and social service systems. Rising overdose deaths, increased demand for behavioral health care, and higher rates of infant and child removal from the home create cascading challenges for families and communities.
In response to these interconnected challenges, AHW invests in research and community-based approaches that expand access to effective, culturally responsive treatment and recovery support services across the state.
AHW supports innovative research projects on substance use disorders that address these pressing needs. From workforce development and family-centered interventions to foundational laboratory science, these efforts reflect a comprehensive approach to improving prevention, treatment, and recovery across Wisconsin.
With Wisconsin’s implementation of new Medicaid coverage for peer recovery coach services in 2025, the state continues to face a critical shortage of well-qualified coaches to provide support, particularly in rural and high-need areas. Research led by Arbor Place and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) 's Felice Borisy-Rudin, JD, PhD (Pharmacology and Toxicology), developed and implemented a comprehensive six-month peer recovery coach training program.
Funded through a $67,388 AHW Seed Grant, the 12-month project recruited and trained 15 individuals to serve as highly skilled peer recovery coaches focused on rural areas, tribal organizations, and pregnant and parenting women. The program included specialized training in the Circle of Security framework, equipping coaches with evidence-based tools to support families affected by substance use disorders.
By establishing a model that supports individuals from treatment entry through post-discharge care, the project addresses workforce shortages while expanding access to recovery services across the state.
For families affected by substance use disorder, the risk of parent-child separation can compound existing health and social challenges. AHW is supporting a project led by John Mantsch, PhD (Pharmacology and Toxicology) at MCW, in collaboration with Helios Heuristic, that seeks to prevent separation by integrating Recovery Doulas into care teams.
This 24-month initiative, funded by a $249,450 AHW Momentum Grant, addresses Wisconsin’s maternal health crisis by providing culturally responsive, trauma-informed support to pregnant and postpartum individuals with substance use disorder in underserved northeastern Wisconsin communities. Recovery Doulas offer early intervention, education, and wraparound support that strengthen family stability and promote maternal-infant bonding.
The project also emphasizes provider education and stigma reduction, drawing on the lived experience of Helios team members with backgrounds in substance use disorder, child welfare, and recovery.
Alcohol use disorder remains challenging to treat, with fewer than 10% of affected individuals receiving care and more than 70% experiencing relapse at some point in recovery. An MCW research team led by Jennifer Tuscher, PhD (Pharmacology and Toxicology), is examining how binge alcohol withdrawal alters molecular processes in brain regions associated with relapse risk.
Supported by a $50,000 AHW Seed Grant, this 12-month laboratory-based study focuses on the central amygdala, a region involved in anxiety and negative emotional states during withdrawal. By identifying cell-specific gene targets associated with relapse vulnerability, the research aims to lay the groundwork for more precise, individualized treatment strategies.
Together, these AHW-funded projects reflect a coordinated investment in Wisconsin’s behavioral health future. By supporting research spanning scientific discovery, workforce development, and community-based interventions, AHW is helping advance more effective, equitable, and sustainable approaches to substance use disorder care statewide.
Learn more about the wide range of projects AHW supports by visiting the Funded Projects Page of our website.