“The Nalox-ZONE Program supports both safety and harm reduction efforts to save lives and prevent fatalities as a result of opioid overdose,” says Cindy Burzinski, Director of Wisconsin Voices for Recovery. “We are very aware of the rise in opioid-related deaths and work across the state to improve access to free naloxone by distributing as many boxes as possible.”  

In recent years, deaths related to opioid misuse have increased significantly in the United States. In particular, there has been a sharp spike in overdose deaths attributed to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl-lacing has become a serious concern for people who use controlled substances or use drugs without a prescription. Fentanyl has been found mixed in with drugs including cannabis, cocaine, Percocet, and Xanax.

“The rapid increase in fentanyl-laced drugs is very concerning,” notes Jenny Damask, Assistant Director of High-Risk Drinking Prevention. “People may associate opioid overdose with products like OxyContin, Vicodin, and methadone, but we’re now seeing national trends of overdose associated with the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Drugs purchased without a prescription or through an anonymous source could contain a lethal amount of fentanyl.”   

University Health Services is working closely with University Housing to educate students on the risk of fentanyl-laced drugs, as well as how to recognize the signs of opioid overdose and use naloxone. UW-Madison students who have access to University Housing are able to access Nalox-ZONE boxes 24/7. Nalox-ZONE boxes located in dining halls are accessible to anyone during open hours.  

When a Nalox-ZONE box is opened, a notification is sent to Wisconsin Voices for Recovery to let them know that the box needs to be refilled. There are no additional signals or notifications that the kit has been opened. If someone is concerned about their own or another’s substance use, they may choose to take the naloxone from the box and carry it on them in case of emergency. “The installation of Nalox-ZONE boxes in University Housing is a step towards a safer campus community,” says Sarah Oleksy, Director of Residence Life. “We intentionally situated Nalox-ZONE boxes near other residential safety features – like AEDs and fire extinguishers. We want students to know where to look in the event of an emergency.”  

If a student suspects a friend or peer is experiencing an opioid overdose, they should call 911 and administer naloxone immediately. There is minimal harm associated with using naloxone on someone who is not experiencing an opioid overdose. It is important that students stay with an individual experiencing signs of an overdose until emergency responders arrive. UW-Madison’s policy on Amnesty Through Responsible Action ensures that neither the student experiencing an overdose nor the friend who called on behalf of someone else receives disciplinary actions, sanctions, or citations.   

 For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions – Nalox-ZONE Boxes webpage. If you are concerned about a student’s drug use, University Health Services can help. You can call 608-265-5600 to share a concern, or can encourage the student in your life to set up an Access Appointment to get connected to care. Students in recovery or interested in learning more about recovery from substance use can find support through Badger Recovery, UW-Madison’s collegiate recovery community.  

“Everyone plays a role in making UW-Madison a community where students can thrive,” says Jenny Damask. “Integrating this life saving measure into student spaces demonstrates our commitment to creating a culture of care.”

As campus activities return to full swing, UHS recognizes that the month of September not only heralds a new semester, but also brings awareness to an important topic – suicide prevention. Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for our campus community to come together with collective compassion and commitment to learn more about suicide prevention and consider opportunities to support one another. Throughout the year, UHS and campus colleagues continue the work around preventing suicide and supporting student mental health.

Below are some key updates about suicide prevention efforts on campus. For questions on these initiatives and information on engaging with this work, email suicideprevention@uhs.wisc.edu.

Get Involved with Suicide Prevention Training

UHS offers online suicide prevention training developed specifically for UW-Madison students, faculty, and staff. We encourage all members of our campus community to participate in these educational opportunities. According to campus research, nearly half of students report receiving mental health support from their friends. The Suicide Prevention Training for UW-Madison Students teaches students how to intervene and offer support for their friends and peers. Recognize, Respond, Refer: Online Suicide Prevention Training for Faculty and Staff provides a valuable guide for having conversations about suicide and can also increase instructors’ confidence in talking with students about mental health. Both trainings are available through Canvas and are self-guided –learners can start, stop, and revisit portions of the training at any time. In total, the online trainings take about an hour to complete and are the first step towards supporting student mental health and preventing suicide.

University Health Services Awarded SAMHSA Grant

The UHS Prevention team was awarded the Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Campus Suicide Prevention Grant by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This grant allows UHS to continue expanding suicide prevention programming and engage the entire campus community in supporting students’ mental health during the next three years. UW-Madison is one of 22 colleges and universities in the country to be awarded a federal GLS grant this year.

Local and National Resources are Available for Mental Health Support

After years of advocacy and preparation, 988 is now available nationwide as a new number to contact for mental health, substance use and suicide crises —a simple, easy-to-remember way for people to get help. The previously used 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number (1-800-273-8255) will not go away; it will route callers to the 988 Lifeline network. When calling or texting 988, people are connected with the Lifeline’s network of trained counselors who can help address immediate needs and connect to ongoing support.

UHS Mental Health Services continues to provide 24/7 crisis support to UW-Madison students, including consultation for those supporting a student in distress. The UHS Mental Health Crisis Support Line is staffed 24/7 by licensed professionals. The crisis line can be reached at 608-265-5600 Option 9.

It’s exciting to be back on campus after years of hybrid and remote learning. In-person events and gatherings mean more opportunities to spend time with friends and meet new people. As we engage in more social situations, however, there may be circumstances we see or experience that are uncomfortable and potentially harmful. These situations could include sexual harassment – any unwanted attention about sex, gender, sexuality, dating, body, or appearance. At UW-Madison, nearly half of all students have experienced sexually harassing behavior. As Badgers, we must keep ourselves and others accountable for their actions, especially when this behavior can cause harm to others. We are all accountable for creating spaces free from sexual violence for everyone. 

A bystander is someone who observes behavior that could lead to harm. Bystanders are not directly involved in a harmful situation but can intervene, speak up, or do something to challenge or interrupt the behavior. When there are lots of people around, we assume someone else will take it upon themselves to intervene; this is known as the diffusion of responsibility, or better known as the bystander effect. Situations that are harmful or potentially harmful can feel awkward, especially when it includes someone you know. It is difficult to find the right time, words, or actions to help intervene, but everyone can step up.    

You have options when intervening – remember the three D’s.

Direct: Speak up to the people involved directly and check in with the people being harmed or who seem to be in an uncomfortable situation.     

Distract: Create a diversion to diffuse the situation. This can help give the person an “out.”  

Delegate: If it feels unsafe for you to intervene personally, or you don’t know the people involved very well, find someone else who can help diffuse the situation – like a staff member or friend. 

Intervening may seem intimidating, especially when there are power dynamics at play. Make sure you are not putting yourself in danger by intervening. If you have concerns about how your identity or the identities of those involved in the situation may harm others, utilize the ‘distract’ or ‘delegate’ options. What is most important is to hold people accountable for their actions and create a safe environment for everyone.   

Bystander intervention in context 

Situation: A person from your residence hall is touching another person you don’t know, who appears to be heavily intoxicated, inappropriately at a house party. 

Direct: “Hey, what are you doing? They seem pretty out of it.” 

Depending on your relationship with the person from your residence hall, you might feel comfortable speaking to them directly about their behavior. If this does not feel comfortable, you may choose to ask, “Are you okay?” to the person who appears intoxicated. 

Distract: “Your friends are looking for you – let’s go catch up with them in the kitchen!” 

Delegate: “I think your friend isn’t treating that person right – I’m worried. Could you pull them away from that situation?” 

You can ask someone else to help, especially if the situation feels unsafe or you may not know the person in the situation that well, for you to get directly involved with. Make sure you follow up with the person who might have been harmed to make sure they are safe.  

The three Ds are easy to remember: Direct, Distract, and Delegate. We all can provide help, whether we personally do it, or if we get another person to help us do it.  

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, please consider connecting with UHS Survivor Services or with Violence Prevention to get help. Survivor Services provide free, confidential support services to UW-Madison students survivors of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and/or stalking.   

If you would like to connect with Violence Prevention specifically, you can contact them at their confidential violence prevention email: violenceprevention@uhs.wisc.edu. They provide workshops about bystander intervention and other prevention topics to any interested campus group.