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About Safe Communities

our mission, vision and areas of focus

Safe Communities of Madison and Dane County is an award-winning nonprofit coalition of over 350 organizations working together to save lives, prevent injury and make our community safer.Our funding comes from federal, local and foundation grants, project sponsorship, sustaining memberships and individual donors. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors, comprised of public and private sector partners.Our programs are coordinated by a small staff including an executive director, program managers, project coordinators and contractors who assist where funding allows. Projects are conducted thanks to efforts of partners who serve on task forces and program teams.

FORM 990 FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

AUDIT REPORTS

A MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Each year since our inception in 1999, we’ve seen our circle of partners grow and collaboration among diverse organizations with a shared commitment to safety expand.Achievements we’ve made came about thanks to the active participation of Coalition partners and supporters for over two decades.

Cheryl Wittke

Executive Director

LEADERSHIP

Safe Communities Staff & Program Managers

SAFE COMMUNITIES

our history

Over 100 organizations collaborate for the City of Madison Safety and Injury Prevention Inventory Report. The recommendations of this report led to the formation of Safe Communities.
1999
Nonprofit status granted to Safe Community Coalition of Madison & Dane County.
2002
First Suicide Prevention Summit.
2008
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training program launched.
2011
“Man Therapy” program introduced to erase the stigma of therapy for at-risk middle-aged men.
2015
Homegrown “Gun Shop Project” partnership with gun shop owners gets national attention as a forward-thinking program in suicide prevention.
2018
1998
Greater Madison Safe Community Coalition hires first employee, Cheryl Wittke to focus on traffic safety.
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Clean Up the Wash traffic awareness campaign.
2001
Launch of Falls Prevention program including “Safe Home Visits” campaign.
2004
MedDrop program collaborates with area communities to reclaim unused or expired medicine begins.
2009
Safe Communities adds a parent-led support organization for those with addicted loved ones called the Parent Addiction Network of Dane County.
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“Only Leaves Should Fall” seminar highlights falls prevention initiatives.
2014
Safe Communities Madison-Dane County is featured in a National Safety Council publication called A Coordinated Response to Stop the Drug Overdose Epidemic.
2017
Recovery coaches guide people from addiction to treatment and recovery.

RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE

Treatment Key

Safe communities has complied a list of abbreviation definitions for finding the right treatment for you.

MAT: Medication for Addiction Treatment.
OP: Outpatient Treatment – person lives at home or in the community, attends. individual and group therapy, these can include or not include MAT.
IOP: Intensive Outpatient Treatment – person lives at home or in the community, attends individual and extended groups, 9-12 hours a week.
Residential: person lives at the facility for a period of at least 14 days, some last as many as 45 days.
PHP: Partial Hospitalization Program is a structured mental health treatment program that runs for several hours each day, three to five days per week.
DBT: Dialectical behavior therapy is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that integrates mindfulness techniques.