The creation of this website is a result of one of the many activities funded by The State of Wisconsin's programs for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Eligible Individuals (TANF) residing in Milwaukee County who need alcohol and/or drug services.  The purpose of the website is;

1.To provide a resource for treatment providers, researchers, students and any other person who may be impacted by drug and alcohol use/abuse;

2.To advance the knowledge and skills in the field of alcohol and drug treatment services and research and;

3.Raise awareness about the efforts being put forth in Milwaukee County to develop a coordinated system of care (now named NEXUS: Connecting Families to Recovery) to best serve low income persons (and their families) with substance use and other related problems.

In December 1999 a consortium came together and responded to a request for proposal, released by the State of Wisconsin, to coordinate care and expand substance abuse treatment capacity for TANF eligible families (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families). The consortium was awarded a grant from the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services which is Wisconsin's Single State Agency, to develop, implement, and evaluate an innovative coordinated system of care for persons in Milwaukee County who are experiencing a wide variety of problems resulting from their use of alcohol or other drugs. Since December 1999 the consortium has maintained the support and commitment from Community Service Providers, Central Intake Units and AODA Treatment Agencies. 

Based on its experience in research addictions and its strong partnerships in the community the Center for Addiction and Behavioral Health Research was invited to evaluate this newly formed consortium.  This evaluation is focused on the process of system change as well as client outcomes.

►to describe the evolution of the current system and develop it into a more coordinated system (Process)

►to understand how service users enter the system, how they fare and how they are doing for some time after they have left the system (Outcome)

►to fulfill the state mandate for accountability

►to provide information to service providers in a way that they can use it for program planning and development (Best Practice)

System Design:

Currently, Community Service Providers act as a front door to the treatment system by prescreening their consumers for AODA problems.  Based on the results of this prescreen, a referral to one of the six Central Intake Units (Milwaukee Women’s Center, Meta House, United Community Center, Impact, M & S Clinical Services, and Wisconsin Correctional Services) is offered. Each of these Central Intake Units (CIU's) administers a 2 part screening to determine an appropriate level of private care and TANF eligibility. They also identify additional needs for those consumers who are TANF eligible:

►Child care

►Transportation

►W-2

►Food Stamps

►Medical Assistance, etc.

Once TANF eligibility is determined, consumers are referred for treatment where common assessment tools are used by all of the Treatment Providers. 

The CORE values for the Milwaukee County AODA/ TANF Project are: 

►Provide a family team for the consumer which is a result of an interactive process and is based on the families strengths, values and preferences

►Provide a family centered approach which includes extended family members and significant others who function as natural supports

►Provide support to families in achieving self-sufficiency

►Include consumers as equal partners in the planning process

►Provide gender/cultural and age competent treatment

►Provide a work focus

►Provide a strength-based approach to service delivery

►Build on natural and community supports

►Provide growth from environments that encourage learning