Heroin & Opioids: Four Pillar Approach

The Opioid Initiative

The Opioid Initiative aims to prevent and address opioid/heroin abuse in Fond du Lac County, through a Four Pillar approach. The Opioid Initiative utilizes comprehensive, evidence-based strategies and promotes collaboration across community sectors to develop and implement countywide systems changes to effectively address the challenges and impact that opioid use and addiction has on individuals, families and our community.

The Four Pillar Approach is based on four principles:

Prevention

Strategies and interventions that help prevent harmful use of prescription and illegal drugs before it even begins on a community level. Prevention focuses on decreasing risk factors and influences that put individuals at risk for use, and strengthening factors and influences that protect individuals.

Harm Reduction

Aims to reduce the negative consequences associated with drug use (such as: the spread of HIV/Hep C from sharing needles), and the harm to individuals and communities. The principles focuses on the harm caused by problematic substance use, rather than substance use per se. Initiatives may incorporate a spectrum of strategies from safer use, to managed use, to abstinence, to overdose prevention, or to meet people who use drugs “where they’re at”.

Treatment

Examines a range of interventions and support programs that encourage people who use or are addicted to substances to make healthy decisions about their lives, manage their addiction, and eventually resume their place in the community. Treatment improves health by decreasing preventable deaths, illnesses and injuries, while improving social integration.

Law Enforcement

Recognizes the need for peace, public order and safety in communities and neighborhoods. History tells us, however, that policing alone is not a solution to Wisconsin’s drug problem. Rather an integrated approach including prevention, treatment, harm reduction and law enforcement has proven to be effective.

Want to know more?

If you are interested in learning more about the Opioid Initiative or getting involved, please complete the contact form.

Four Pillar Workgroups

Learn more about each of the Pillar groups, why the issue is important, what is being done, and how you can get involved.

DFC's Other Focus Areas

Prescription Drug Misuse, Heroin & Opioids: Four Pillar Approach, Alcohol Use & Abuse

Drug Free Communities of Fond du Lac County

A collaboration of agency and community members working to decrease substance abuse among youth and adults in our community.