Drug and Alcohol Detox Guide For Middleton, Wisconsin
Middleton is a mid-sized city in Dane County and a suburb of Madison, Wisconsin. Originally a manufacturing town, Middleton’s economy has diversified into many different areas in recent years. It is perhaps best known as the headquarters of American Girl, the maker of Mattel’s American Girl Dolls. For local residents, Middleton is a place for many fun attractions and events. Known as “The Good Neighbor City,” Middleton hosts dozens of festivals and events every year, including a Good Neighbor Festival, where an outstanding member of the community is named the city’s “Good Neighbor” of the year.
The population of Middleton has steadily grown over the past few decades and now has about 22,328 full-time residents. About 1 in 6 Middleton adults works in manufacturing, and the median household income is $87,333, which is substantially higher than the state average. The city also has a poverty rate of 7.6%, which is lower than the state average of 10.7%. [1]
In spite of the spirited festivals and strong economy, the city of Middleton has a growing problem that has remained out of sight for too long. Hundreds of individuals and families in Middleton are fighting addiction, and there are very few local programs to help those in need. Fortunately, with clinics like Midwest Detox in nearby Brookfield, Middleton 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 Middleton, 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 Middleton, and the resources available to help residents fight addiction.
The Ongoing Substance Abuse Crisis in Middleton
Since Middleton is located within Dane County and its substance abuse data is collected at the county level, it’s not easy to separate the substance abuse cases in Middleton from those that originate in nearby Madison. However, evaluating county-level data is one of the best ways to learn how drugs and alcohol are impacting people in the area, including those who reside in the city of Middleton.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the number of alcohol emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations have remained consistently high since 2014, while deaths continue to rise rapidly. [2] [3] You can see a full breakdown of these statistics in the table below:
| Alcohol Statistics in Dane County | |||
| Year | Emergency Room Visits | Inpatient Hospitalizations | Deaths |
| 2014 | 2,647 | 2,261 | 86 |
| 2015 | 3,073 | 2,359 | 87 |
| 2016 | 2,801 | 2,476 | 90 |
| 2017 | 2,787 | 2,283 | 113 |
| 2018 | 2,919 | 2,409 | 115 |
| 2019 | 3,095 | 2,579 | 110 |
| 2020 | 2,891 | 2,288 | 136 |
| 2021 | 3,134 | 2,491 | 148 |
| 2022 | N/A | N/A | 143 |
Between 2014 and 2021, annual alcohol emergency room visits increased by 18.3%, while alcohol inpatient hospitalizations increased by 10.1%. This growth is relatively slow and largely aligns with population growth in Dane County. However, it’s important to note that emergency room visits have declined slightly since the peak of 3,095 in 2019, which shows a different pattern than many other counties throughout the country. Most counties saw their worst alcohol emergency room figures during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this anomaly, alcohol deaths rose by 66.2% between 2014 and 2022. The figures for 2023 are still preliminary, but as of May 2023, Dane County has recorded just 56 alcohol deaths, indicating that alcohol deaths may be in decline.
Opioid abuse is not as common as alcohol abuse in Dane County, but it is becoming more prevalent. [4] [5] You can see the annual figures for opioid abuse in Dane County in the table below:
| Opioid Statistics in Dane County | |||
| Year | Emergency Room Visits | Inpatient Hospitalizations | Deaths |
| 2014 | 136 | 159 | 61 |
| 2015 | 202 | 135 | 56 |
| 2016 | 280 | 156 | 88 |
| 2017 | 319 | 159 | 92 |
| 2018 | 280 | 108 | 85 |
| 2019 | 322 | 122 | 105 |
| 2020 | 364 | 120 | 123 |
| 2021 | 394 | 107 | 139 |
| 2022 | 321 | 100 | 123 |
Opioid emergency room visits and deaths peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic and have since declined. However, the former statistic worsened between 2014 and 2022. During this period, Dane County saw an increase in opioid emergency room visits of 136% and a decline in opioid inpatient hospitalizations of 37.1%. Opioid deaths increased by 101.6% over the same period.
Alcohol and prescription opioids are the most commonly abused drugs in Dane County. However, other drugs take lives in Dane County every year. For example, the county records an annual average of 6.8 heroin deaths per 100,000 residents. Additionally, the county sees an annual average of 7.9 deaths caused by stimulants like cocaine and meth per 100,000 residents. [6]
So what does all of this mean for the city of Middleton? It’s true that Madison contributes far more substance abuse cases to the figures recorded in Dane County than Middleton, but Middleton still has a substantial problem with alcohol and drug abuse. Middleton accounts for about 3.9% of the county population, but local coroner reports suggest that the city may contribute as much as 5% of the county’s substance abuse hospitalizations and deaths.
How Middleton Compares to the Rest of Wisconsin
Dane County has some of the worst rates of alcohol and opioid abuse in Wisconsin. This is a particularly startling fact considering that Wisconsin is one of the worst states in the country for alcohol consumption. [7] Dane County is the 2nd worst county in the state when it comes to alcohol emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations (only surpassed by Milwaukee County). However, Dane County does an excellent job of preventing alcohol-attributable deaths compared to the total number of alcohol abuse cases. In fact, it ranks as the 47th worst county in the state (out of 72 counties) for alcohol-attributable deaths.
The county sees similar issues with opioids. In 2021, Dane County saw 72.3 opioid emergency room visits per 100,000 residents, compared to 54.5 in Wisconsin. The same year, Dane County recorded 19.6 opioid inpatient hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, compared to 19.5 statewide. Dane County is also worse off than more than half of the counties in the state when it comes to opioid deaths: 26.1 per 100,000 residents in Dane County and 24.6 in all of Wisconsin.
But again, these figures refer to the entirety of Dane County, which includes larger cities like Madison. 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 Middleton, Wisconsin:
- Annual Overdoses: 182
- Alcohol-Related Deaths: 8
- Opioid-Related Deaths: 6
- Non-Opioid Drug-Related Deaths: 1
Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Efforts in Middleton
The city of Middleton does have Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups, but the city refers most people to county and state-level programs. In Dane County, the Department of Human Services offers a wide variety of programs for people struggling with addiction, including the Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC) and Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) for qualifying Medicaid patients. The county even has a 24-hour crisis intervention hotline for people who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse emergency.
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. Middleton residents seek out help from detox clinics like Midwest Detox, as well as quality inpatient rehab clinics like Wellbrook Recovery.
Drug and Alcohol Detox in Middleton, Wisconsin
On the surface, Middleton really does seem like one of the best places to live in the state of Wisconsin. It is known for its happy-go-lucky atmosphere and community events, but these do not diminish the severity of the ongoing substance abuse crisis. Middleton also has access to many intervention programs thanks to Dane County, but these don’t provide direct treatment to those who need it most.
Fortunately, there is help close by. Midwest Detox is a private detox clinic in Brookfield (just an hour’s drive from Middleton). At Midwest Detox, we offer the best possible care and treatment options for people who need detoxification from addictive substances. 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.