Legal Aid: An Essential Tool in Overdose Prevention
Written by: Legal Action of Wisconsin
An Overlooked Barrier to Recovery
People struggling with substance use disorders frequently face civil legal problems that are a barrier to recovery and a risk to overdose. Eviction, barriers to employment, crushing debt, and denial of public benefits are all factors that can lead to relapse, overdose, and even death. People with substance use disorder are most at risk of overdose during relapse. We know that stress, housing insecurity, and lack of other basic needs are most likely to cause relapse. To save lives, we need to provide the legal support necessary stabilize individuals on the road to recovery.
At Legal Action of Wisconsin, we believe that legal aid is a critical yet often overlooked tool in harm reduction and overdose prevention. Through our Harm Reduction Project, we provide free legal services to individuals affected by substance use disorder, ensuring that legal obstacles don’t derail their path to stability.
How Legal Aid Reduces Harm
1. Preventing Homelessness and Housing Insecurity
Stable housing is a cornerstone of harm reduction. Studies show that individuals experiencing homelessness are far more likely to suffer fatal overdoses than those with secure housing. In 2024, our team worked on 64 housing cases including preventing evictions and addressing housing conditions issues, ensuring that clients have a safe place to live.
🔹 Success Story: Yolanda Anderson
Yolanda was facing eviction when she met our legal team at a Milwaukee Community Collective outreach event in an overdose “hot spot.” She had a court hearing the next morning and nowhere to turn. We stepped in immediately, representing her in court and securing a dismissal of her eviction case, saving her from homelessness and dismissing over $8,000 in unjust fees.
2. Removing Barriers to Employment and Providing Debt Relief
For individuals in recovery, employment is more than a paycheck—it’s a lifeline. Yet, past convictions, suspended driver’s licenses, and municipal fines often block access to stable jobs. In 2024, we:
✔ Helped 53 clients apply for pardons or expungements to clear their records.
✔ Assisted 8 clients with restoring their driver’s licenses, improving their ability to work.
✔ Represented 5 clients in municipal and circuit court to resolve fines and legal infractions that create employment barriers.
These services empower individuals to build sustainable futures, reducing their risk of relapse and involvement with the criminal legal system.
Additionally, in 2024, we secured over $102,238 in debt relief and payments for individuals burdened with medical and consumer debt—an often-overlooked stressor that can contribute to relapse.
🔹 Success Story: Medical Debt Relief
A collections agency got a judgment against one client for more than $35,000 in medical bills they claimed he owed. To get the money, they tried to garnish his income. We successfully argued that the provider was not allowed to bill the client because the bills should have been submitted to the Medicaid program. His case was reopened, vacated and dismissed, saving the client from crushing medical debt he was never responsible for.
3. Ensuring Access to Healthcare and Public Benefits
Access to Medicaid, food assistance, and disability benefits can mean the difference between stability and crisis. Yet, the benefits process is complex and can be impossible to navigate successfully without legal help. Legal Action has helped clients challenge wrongful benefit denials, ensuring they receive the healthcare, food, and financial support necessary for recovery.
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Our Community-Based Approach
Legal Action takes a boots-on-the-ground approach, meeting people where they are—on the streets, in clinics, and at harm reduction outreach events with services in multiple languages. We provide on-the-spot legal assistance at 11 monthly legal clinics, working alongside harm reduction partners like:
- Milwaukee Community Collective – Providing legal aid at overdose “hot spots” alongside Narcan distribution and recovery support.
- The Benedict Center and Meta House – Supporting women with substance use disorders.
- Sherman Park Community Association – Assisting residents in high-overdose areas.
- Community Medical Services – A medication assisted treatment program located in West Allis for people who use/d drugs.
This community-based model allows us to reach the people who need help the most, ensuring they have the legal support necessary to move forward.
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A Solution that should be Available Statewide!
The Harm Reduction Project is at risk of losing funding by the end of 2026. Without sustained support, hundreds of people will lose access to the legal services that help them stay housed, employed, and on the path to recovery. Not only that, but we believe this essential tool in overdose prevention should be available statewide to all who need it. Help us secure funding in your community by telling others about work. You can also donate to Legal Action to support our work.
Your donation can:
- Keep individuals in stable housing, reducing their risk of overdose.
- Help people clear past convictions, unlocking job opportunities.
- Ensure access to public benefits and healthcare for those in recovery.
By funding legal aid, you are investing in a proven, life-saving approach to harm reduction. Join us in fighting the overdoes crisis.