I had the pleasure this week of joining Representative Tony Kurtz to take a tour of one of the opioid treatment centers operated by Community Medical Services.

CMS is a leading provider of treatment for individuals suffering from opioid use disorder. Their approach allows them to optimize treatment outcomes by helping patients achieve stability and focus on their recovery.

More than 80,000 United States citizens die annually due to opioid overdoses, with 1,500 of those deaths occurring in the Badger State. Specific to Wisconsin, that equals four people passing away each day.

We are facing an opioid crisis in our state and groups like CMS will be key to saving lives in all of our communities, including right here in the 24th Senate District.

I learned a lot during my tour and will take the knowledge I gained back to my legislative colleagues so we can bring forward solutions that will break the cycle of opioid addiction in Wisconsin.