Drug and Alcohol Detox Guide For Hartford, Wisconsin
Hartford is a small city located in Washington County (and a small part of Dodge County), about 45 minutes northeast of downtown Milwaukee. For more than a century, Hartford has been a small but substantial center for manufacturing in southeast Wisconsin. In 1990, Hartford annexed the nearby town of Rubicon to expand its borders into Dodge County and nearly double the size of its industrial sector.
While Hartford, Wisconsin has a population of just 15,829 full-time residents, it is one of the fastest-growing cities in the region. Between 1990 and 2020, the population almost doubled, and the ever-growing need for labor has helped bring in new residents each year. It also has a very young population; roughly 1 in 4 residents are under 18 years old.
The city of Hartford continues to grow and prosper, and many residents enjoy healthy wages and a cost of living that is lower than in nearby cities like Milwaukee and Madison. The median household income in Hartford is $70,887, slightly below the state median of $72,458. Additionally, the poverty rate in Hartford is 8.8%, which is an improvement on the state average of 10.7%. [1]
While the population boom and steadfast economy make Hartford a comfortable place to live, it is not free of the dark cloud of addiction. In fact, substance abuse is a major problem in Hartford and the rest of Washington County. Hundreds of individuals and families struggle with addiction every day, and it’s not always easy to find helpful resources in the city. Fortunately, with clinics like Midwest Detox in nearby Brookfield, Hartford residents can begin their recovery journey with the assistance of trained professionals. This way, they have a much better chance of getting sober and staying sober for good.
If you or a loved one live in Hartford, Wisconsin, and are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, you should consider seeking out professional help as soon as possible. It could mean the difference between life and death. That said, we understand that starting the recovery process is not always easy.
Continue reading to learn more about the current substance abuse crisis in Hartford, and the resources available to help residents fight addiction.
The Ongoing Substance Abuse Crisis in Hartford
Like most small cities throughout Wisconsin, Hartford depends on the county to keep track of its substance abuse data. This means that cases originating in Hartford are typically combined with cases that occur in other cities throughout the county, like West Bend and Jackson. Nonetheless, it’s important to examine the county-level data to understand the severity of substance abuse in Hartford and the surrounding area.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, emergency room visits attributable to alcohol overdose have seen a slight decline since 2014, while inpatient hospitalizations have increased substantially over the same period. [2] [3] You can see a full breakdown of these statistics in the table below:
| Alcohol Statistics in Washington County | |||
| Year | Emergency Room Visits | Inpatient Hospitalizations | Deaths |
| 2014 | 508 | 611 | 27 |
| 2015 | 586 | 657 | 21 |
| 2016 | 532 | 681 | 25 |
| 2017 | 447 | 624 | 24 |
| 2018 | 437 | 678 | 22 |
| 2019 | 450 | 762 | 36 |
| 2020 | 469 | 761 | 30 |
| 2021 | 492 | 801 | 38 |
| 2022 | N/A | N/A | 31 |
| *2023 | N/A | N/A | 21 |
*Statistics for 2023 are still preliminary.
The data available in Washington County is not as easy to interpret as it is in larger cities like Milwaukee. Between 2014 and 2021, emergency room visits attributable to alcohol abuse declined by 3.1%, while inpatient hospitalizations attributable to alcohol abuse increased by 31%. This may be a good sign, as emergency room visits are often connected to unexpected overdoses, while inpatient hospitalizations are more closely related to substance abusers choosing to seek out treatment.
Alcohol-attributable deaths increased by 14.8% between 2014 and 2022. So, despite promising hospitalization numbers, the number of people dying from alcohol overdose is increasing in Hartford and the surrounding area. However, it’s important to remember that the population in Hartford and Washington County continues to rise. This means that the problem may not be worsening, but simply keeping pace with the growing number of residents. Unfortunately, hospitalization data in Washington County for 2021 and 2022 is not yet available, and the number of recorded deaths in 2023 is still preliminary. Consequently, it’s not possible to predict a reliable trend for the worse or the better.
The trajectory of opioid abuse cases in Washington County is much clearer and shows a more unsettling trend. Each year, opioid abuse and deaths become more and more prevalent in the region. [4] [5] You can see the annual figures for opioid abuse in Washington County in the table below:
| Opioid Statistics in Washington County | |||
| Year | Emergency Room Visits | Inpatient Hospitalizations | Deaths |
| 2014 | 26 | 33 | 16 |
| 2015 | 24 | 27 | 13 |
| 2016 | 40 | 45 | 22 |
| 2017 | 41 | 44 | 21 |
| 2018 | 27 | 28 | 20 |
| 2019 | 41 | 30 | 16 |
| 2020 | 52 | 28 | 25 |
| 2021 | 54 | 27 | 32 |
| 2022 | 52 | 21 | N/A |
Unlike the statistics for alcohol-attributable hospitalizations in Washington County, opioid emergency room visits are on the rise, while opioid inpatient hospitalizations are in decline. Between 2014 and 2022, emergency room visits attributed to opioid overdose doubled, while inpatient hospitalizations declined by 36.3%. Though more recent data related to opioid-attributable deaths is not yet available, opioid deaths also doubled between 2014 and 2021. Some of these figures are attributable to higher drug abuse rates seen during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but opioid abuse is nonetheless worsening in Hartford and the rest of Washington County.
While alcohol and prescription opioids are the two most commonly abused drugs in Washington County, other drugs like heroin (an illicit opioid) and cocaine, are also abused. For example, an average of 4.6 and 3 people per 100,000 residents die annually from heroin and cocaine overdose, respectively. [6]
While all of this points to a full-blown substance abuse crisis in Hartford, particularly when it comes to opioids, it’s important to remember that these figures come from all of Washington County. The city of Hartford only accounts for about 11.6% of the county population, but it’s estimated that as much as 20% of the substance abuse cases recorded in Washington County originate in Hartford. It’s also important to note that, while part of Hartford is located in Dodge County, the number of Hartford residents living in Dodge County is estimated to be as low as 10. This is because this segment of the city is almost entirely dedicated to industrial zoning. For this reason, Dodge County’s substance abuse data is largely irrelevant when evaluating the state of substance abuse in the city of Hartford.
How Hartford Compares to the Rest of Wisconsin
Hartford compares somewhat favorably to the rest of Wisconsin when it comes to alcohol abuse, but this does not mean that alcohol abuse is not a problem in the city. Wisconsin ranks among the worst states in the nation for the overconsumption of alcohol, and Washington County records relatively high rates of alcohol-related substance abuse cases. [7] For example, Washington County is the 17th and 10th worst county in the state (out of 72 counties) for alcohol emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations, respectively. However, it is the 57th worst county in the state for alcohol-attributable deaths.
Hartford does not compare as favorably to the rest of Wisconsin for opioid abuse. The county records an annual average of 23.6 opioid deaths per 100,000 residents, which is only slightly lower than the state average of 24.6. Since opioid deaths are increasing rapidly in Washington County, it’s likely that this figure will surpass the state average in the coming years. However, the number of people hospitalized for opioid abuse in Washington County is generally lower than it is in the rest of Wisconsin.
Once again, it’s important to remember that these figures account for all of Washington County — not just Hartford. To get a more accurate picture of the direct impact of substance abuse at the city level, let’s look at some of the most recent findings related to overdoses and deaths in Hartford, Wisconsin:
- Annual Overdoses: 71
- Alcohol-Related Deaths: 6
- Opioid-Related Deaths: 7
- Non-Opioid Drug-Related Deaths: 1
Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Efforts in Hartford
The city of Hartford does not offer any preventative measures or treatment programs for residents struggling with substance abuse. Instead, it depends on programs run at the county level. In Washington County, residents can seek out the Behavioral Health Department to access things like community treatment services, adult protective services, crisis intervention, and counseling programs.
As a complement to these local programs, Wisconsin runs the State Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (SCAODA), which manages dozens of programs and initiatives across the state. Hartford residents also seek out help from detox clinics like Midwest Detox, as well as quality inpatient rehab clinics like Wellbrook Recovery.
Drug and Alcohol Detox in Hartford, Wisconsin
Hartford is a fast-growing city with easy access to Milwaukee, but this hasn’t slowed the alarming spread of addiction and substance abuse in the city. While there are some resources available to local residents thanks to county and state-level programs, they have not proven effective to completely stamp out addiction in the area. For this reason, thousands of Hartford residents are in need of additional help and resources.
Thankfully, there is help close by. Midwest Detox is a private detox clinic in Brookfield (just a 40-minute drive from Hartford) that offers enhanced care and detox services for those struggling with a substance use disorder. At Midwest Detox, we ensure that you remain comfortable and safe throughout the entire process. Additionally, we provide top-notch care and attention to help give you the skills you need to continue your recovery in rehab and beyond.
When it comes to addiction, there is no time like the present. So, if you or someone you love is in need of drug or alcohol detox, reach out to Midwest Detox today and begin your journey to recovery.