WEST ALLIS, Wis.— A substance abuse program in West Allis is seeing success after forming just a year ago.

“We are truly helping people, and we see that in their successes,” peer support specialist with community medical services, Amy Molinski says.

The program is seeing signs of success in saving lives— the lives of those with substance use disorders.

“In the past, people didn’t know where to turn; people didn’t have a place to turn. So, we are offering them a place to turn when they are ready to accept help,” West Allis fire department capitan, Armando Suarez Del Real says.

About a year ago, the West Allis fire department and community medical services teamed up to create SUD, or the substance use disorder program. It targets those in the West Allis community who recently overdosed or are struggling with addiction.

“We are doing follow up within 24 to 48 hours of someone's overdose,” Molinski says.

Both members of the West Allis fire department and peer counselors from community medical services go knock on doors of those who recently had an incident involving drugs or other substances. Their goal is to offer help immediately or whenever someone is ready.

“I am so incredibly blessed to be a part of what I am. We are doing things that people haven’t done before. We are going out and knocking on someone's door and saying, 'We are not here to get you in trouble; we are simply here to help,'” Molinski says.

The West Allis community medical services is now seeing around 800 patients a day for treatment since the program started.

“That population comes from an immediate area. It’s not secret that our area of West Allis has opiate addiction issues and that need for them to exist and thrive. Their numbers have expanded exponentially over the last year,” Suarez Del Real says.

The program aims to address addiction and substance use head-on, to better the community they both live in and serve.