Drug and Alcohol Rehab for West Allis, Wisconsin
Historical West Allis and substance abuse
Located on the western side of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Area, West Allis is a thriving city with easy access to all the conveniences of Milwaukee. A mix of urban and suburban living, West Allis is a beautiful city and a great place to live. Sadly, recent economic factors have contributed to an ever-widening income disparity in the city. While the average household income rests well above the state average, the poverty rate is just over 13%. As a result, many of West Allis’s most vulnerable residents are also those who are most likely to succumb to substance abuse.
Thankfully, there are ways to get help in West Allis, Wisconsin. In addition to local and state resources aimed at reducing overdoses among younger residents, you can also reach out to the experts at Wellbrook Recovery for help. We offer a full residential rehab to ensure that you can recover in comfort and gain the skills and insights you need to stay sober for life.
And if you’re on the fence about going to rehab or you’re trying to help a loved one who is struggling, continue reading to learn more about substance abuse in West Allis, Wisconsin, and the resources available to help you on your journey.
Substance Abuse In West Allis, WI Information
West Allis is a suburb of Milwaukee and one of the largest cities in Milwaukee County, with a population of over 60,000. However, Milwaukee County has a much larger population of over 928,000, and most substance abuse data is collected at the county level. Consequently, it can get rather complicated to calculate and account for the data specific to West Allis. Nonetheless, evaluating the county-level databases can help shed light on the current state of substance abuse in the city.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Milwaukee County recorded 607 deaths caused by alcohol in 2022. Like most counties throughout Wisconsin (and the rest of the country), the number of alcohol deaths peaked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 and 2021, Milwaukee County saw 687 and 699 alcohol deaths, respectively. However, the larger trend (2014-2022) shows that average annual alcohol deaths have increased in Milwaukee County by roughly 49%. [1]
The rise in opioid-related deaths in Milwaukee County has been even more troubling. Between 2014 and 2019, the number of opioid deaths rose from 212 to 326, representing an average annual increase of 10.7%. Between 2019 and 2021, the same figure rose from 326 to 522, representing an average annual increase of about 30%. To give a little more perspective on the severity of the situation, the population of Milwaukee County has declined by about 30,000 since 2014. So, even if the number of deaths had remained constant over the same time period, it would still reflect a modest increase in the total number of opioid abuse cases. However, since the number of deaths has increased dramatically, it shows that the opioid crisis has gotten much, much worse, in spite of a declining population in Milwaukee County. [2]
Naturally, prescription opioids and alcohol are not the only substances being abused in West Allis and the rest of Milwaukee County. In fact, Milwaukee County has some of the highest rates of deaths in the state involving cocaine and heroin. Comparatively, meth causes few deaths in Milwaukee County when accounting for its large population. [3]