If you need support in preventing or de-escalating conflict, this list provides resources on violence interruption, legal support and other resources for youths and adults in Milwaukee.
(If you’d like to add your organization’s programming to the list, please email mmelland@milwaukeenns.org.)
Violence interruption resources
Project Ujima
Phone: 414-266-2557
What it does: Project Ujima is a voluntary program with Children’s Wisconsin that offers free counseling, case management and violence prevention services to youths and families affected by or at risk of violence.
414LIFE
Phone: 414-439-5525 or 414lifemke@mcw.edu
What it does: 414LIFE is a community violence interruption team formed with the City of Milwaukee’s Office of Community Wellness and Safety and implemented by the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Injury Center. Team members de-escalate and mediate conflicts, work with gun violence survivors at hospitals and provide education resources with the goal of reducing gun violence and retaliation.
Credible Messenger Program
Phone: 414-335-1524
What it does: Credible Messengers is a mentoring program designed to help youths avoid or reduce involvement in the justice system. Milwaukee Community Crossroads (formerly Milwaukee Christian Center), 414LIFE, Running Rebels, Westcare Wisconsin, Youth Advocate Program and Glow 414 are participating organizations – learn more about their approaches here.
Office of Community Wellness and Safety
Phone: 414-286-5468
What it does: The City of Milwaukee office supports various violence prevention initiatives in Milwaukee by partnering with agencies, experts and street outreach teams.
Trauma Response Team
Phone: 414-257-7650
What it does: The Trauma Response Team provides free support to children ages 6-17 in the Milwaukee area who have been exposed to trauma, violence or stressful experiences. It’s a partnership between the City of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Police Department and Wraparound Milwaukee. You can also contact TraumaResponseTeam@MilwaukeeCountyWI.gov or find more information in Spanish here.
Safe and Sound
Phone: 414-220-4780
What it does: Safe and Sound’s mission is to “unite residents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods.” Neighborhood safety coordinators work with community members in each police district, and the nonprofit also offers youth leadership development.
Legal resources
Centro Legal
Phone: 414-384-7900
What it does: Centro Legal provides low-cost legal services and assistance navigating the legal system in family law and misdemeanor criminal court cases.
Wisconsin Department of Justice Victim Resource Center
Phone: 608-264-9497
What it does: The Victim Resource Center can assist victims or witnesses of crime with information, referrals and questions regarding their rights. It cannot provide legal advice or handle family court cases.
State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Referral Service
Phone: 800-362-9082
What it does: Through the Lawyer Referral Service, a trained legal assistant can assess your legal situation and connect you with the most appropriate resource. Call from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or use the online referral service.
Victim Witness Services
Phone: 414-278-4667
What it does: Crime victims and witnesses can get assistance from the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Services Division to access services and exercise their rights in the criminal court process.
Other resources
Wraparound Milwaukee
Phone: 414-257-7607
What it does: Wraparound Milwaukee – Children’s Community Mental Health Services offers an array of behavioral health programming and resources referrals for youths between the ages of 5 and 23.
Behavioral Health Services
Phone: 414-257-7222 (24-hour crisis line)
What it does: The Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services can help youths and adults experiencing a mental health crisis or needing behavioral health resources. Call 414-257-8085 for nonemergency adult behavioral health needs.
Sojourner Family Peace Center
Phone: 414-276-1911
What it does: Sojourner provides a range of support services to families affected by domestic violence to help them achieve safety, justice and well-being. It operates a 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 414-933-2722.
Find more resources on domestic and family violence here.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
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