Fighting For Liberty. Demanding Autonomy.
PULSE is a non-profit committed to advocating for harm reduction, safe supply access, and drug policy reform. Our mission is empowering all people who use drugs through education, engagement to have a voice and advocate for themselves. We strive to reduce harm, challenge stigma, and create a more just society.
Harm reduction is healthcare. Community is prevention. Autonomy is essential.
What We Do
Rooted in Dignity, Autonomy & Public Health
PULSE works to reduce overdose deaths, combat stigma, and empower people who use drugs through education, advocacy, and community leadership. Solutions are almost often located nearest their problems, and PULSE serves as a bridge between impacted people and decision makers.
We intentionally call ourselves a union, a collaborative group involved in both mutual aid and advocacy for all people who use drugs, from Kenosha to Superior.
“Meaningful change happens when people are treated with dignity instead of punishment.”
01
Harm Reduction
Safe supply, naloxone access, and evidence-based strategies that keep people alive.
02
Advocacy
Policy change at local and state levels rooted in public health and human rights.
03
Community
Monthly meetings, mutual aid, and peer-to-peer support across Wisconsin.
04
Education
Resources and conversations that reshape the narrative around drug use.
Why This Work Matters
The Overdose Crisis
Is Not Just a Statistic
Across Wisconsin and throughout the country, overdose deaths continue to rise, stigma grows, and too often the people most affected are excluded from the conversations about policies that directly impact their lives.
“Stigma creates barriers. Fear, shame, and criminalization prevent people from seeking support, accessing healthcare, or participating in their own recovery.”
– Harm Reduction Principle
unacceptably high deaths statewide
This isn’t a Democratic problem or a Republican one. Every community in the state has lost someone to overdose or to a system that punishes drug use instead of treating it.
Stigma creates barriers
Fear, shame, and criminalization prevent many from seeking support, accessing healthcare, or participating openly in their communities.
Public health approaches work
Evidence consistently shows harm reduction produces better outcomes than approaches rooted in punishment or abstinence-only models.
Lived experience leads
PULSE centers the voices of people directly affected by drug policy in shaping the solutions that will actually work.
Who We Are
Principles That Guide Us
Empower, Advocate, Reduce Harm
We advocate for harm reduction, safe supply access, and drug law reform, empowering all people who use drugs through education and engagement to have a voice and advocate for themselves. We strive to reduce harm, challenge stigma, and create a more just society.
Empower, Advocate, Reduce Harm
A society where all people who use drugs are treated with compassion and empowered to make informed choices, where Harm Reduction is embraced, safe supplies are accessible, and drug laws prioritize public health and social justice.
Dignity, Autonomy, Solidarity
We believe in the inherent dignity of every person. We challenge criminalization, support lived experience leadership, and build community through mutual aid, open dialogue, and radical respect for self-determination.
Community Voices
Real Change Happens in Community
“PULSE helped me find community and purpose.”
Community member
“PULSE gave me a voice.”
Community member
“PULSE made sure people in power heard us.”
Community member
Get Involved
Join the Conversation
Monthly General Meeting
When
4th Wednesday of every month
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM CST
Where
Virtual + In-person (location varies)
Request info to get invited
What to Expect
- Community discussions and peer perspectives
- Advocacy updates and policy news
- Educational presentations on harm reduction
- Resource sharing and mutual aid
- A welcoming space, no experience required
Register for a Meeting
When you register, a member will reach out with details for the upcoming meeting. New to harm reduction? You’re welcome here, everyone is.
Support the Mission
Three Ways to Make a Difference
Advocacy News
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Why the Classic Intervention Does More Harm Than Good
For decades, the standard for dealing with problematic substance use has been the surprise intervention. We’ve seen it on television…
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The Fatal Logic of “Tough Love”
“Six weeks later I escorted him out of my home because he was using again. I filled his prescriptions, put…