Why is WIPHL needed?
About one in four Wisconsin residents have a problem with alcohol or drug use. Diseases and accidents related to substance abuse make it the fourth leading cause of death in our state. Wisconsin regularly lands at the top or near the top of national statistics relating to high-risk and heavy drinking. And yet only 10 to 20 percent of Wisconsin residents in need of help for substance abuse receive that assistance. WIPHL is here to fill that gap and address what has become a leading public health problem in our state.