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About

The Wisconsin Good Samaritan Coalition includes groups who understand we must do more to save lives.

Who We Are

Our Coalition includes family members whose loved ones died from overdose. We want to remove roadblocks so that anyone at the scene will call 911 and stay with the overdosing person.

The Coalition includes professionals who treat people who have a substance use disorder. They know that current law can perpetuate a cycle of addiction.

The Coalition includes overdose survivors. They have first hand experience in understanding why immunity is a critical piece of saving lives.

Coalition Members

Wisconsin Society of Addiction Medicine

Vivent Health

Wisconsin Recovery Advocacy Project

EXPO Wisconsin/FREE

Supporters of our policy brief

Supporters of our policy brief understand the need to prevent overdose deaths in Wisconsin. We also know how arrest, prosecution and revocation can destabilize someone who is struggling with a substance use disorder. The result is often job loss, leading to other increased desperation and illegal actions.

Just Listen

We support the Coalition’s policy brief because a law based on this will help save lives.
Tina Perry
President, Just Listen

Megan Kelly Foundation

Would you want your child to die because someone at the scene of an overdose has to be held “accountable”? More…
Bev Kelley-Miller
Megan Kelley Foundation

As one of the founders of the Mandolin Foundation, I support the Coalition’s policy brief. My daughter Amanda died of an overdose. More…
Paula Jolly
Mandolin Foundation

Start Healing Now

In opioid overdose emergencies, bystanders are often the first to witness or be in the presence of the person experiencing the overdose. More…
Jessica Geschke, President, Start Healing Now

DarJune Foundation

Wisconsin American College of Emergency Physicians

WISDOM Wisconsin

Momentum in Recovery

Thanks to organizations that supported stronger Good Samaritan bills in the 2023-24 legislative session.

Would you want your child to die because someone at the scene of an overdose has to be held accountable? The Megan Kelley Foundation supports the Coalition's policy brief. Substance use disorder is a medical condition.
Our Foundation supports removing punitive language and barriers to people on paper so that they will not be arrested or charged for calling 911 to save a life. life. Simply put: dead people cannot recover. The current Good Samaritan law (and previous laws) placed more importance on arresting people on paper as well as arresting overdose survivors. This is why people don't call 911 to save a life.

Bev Kelley Miller
Megan Kelley Foundation

As one of the founders of the Mandolin Foundation, I support the Coalition's policy brief. my daughter Amanda died of an overdose. The person she was with was on probation and was afraid to get into trouble. So he left her to die in a gas station bathroom instead of calling 911. My daughter and many others should not have to die because someone fears getting into legal trouble.

Paula Jolly
Mandolin Foundation

In opioid overdose emergencies, bystanders are often the first to witness or be in the presence of the person experiencing the overdose. Approximantly 47% of overdose deaths reported to the CDC in 2021 between January and June occurred in the presence of a bystander.
If we limit which bystander is allowed to call 911 based on their current legal status, then we as a community are doing a complete disservice to our individuals that struggle with the disease of addiction. The vast majority — or nearly 1,427 — of Wisconsin's opioid related-deaths in 2021 involved synthetic opioids, and in most cases that was fentanyl.
Limiting who, when, where and how people call for help after aiding someone with a disease is not only inhuman, it's unjust.

Jessica Geschke, President Start Healing Now, Person in Long Term Recovery
Sister of a person in long term recovery from an opioid addiction who has been revived by narcan