Community Advocates' leadership created the Public Policy Institute in 2008 to address the root causes of poverty through policy advocacy and community collaboration on economic and public health issues.
Community Advocates' leadership created the Public Policy Institute in 2008 to address the root causes of poverty through policy advocacy and community collaboration on economic and public health issues.
Our projects seek to empower low-income communities in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin by developing nonpartisan public policy, building community coalitions, and preventing the root causes of poverty before they cause harm to individuals, families, and the community.
We are building the technical expertise of local human services professionals and interested community members through a variety of training opportunities focused on substance abuse, mental health, and coalition building.
Our calendar is full of training opportunities, coalition meetings, conversations, and outreach events.
We want to hear from you! Connect with us anytime and join our community, request a speaker, ask for resources, or learn more about our work.
Help us engage with the community on policy and prevention projects. Become a PPI Member today!
Community Advocates Public Policy Institute’s Mental Health and Wellness Coordinator, Cecilia Tenorio, talks about what it feels like to want to numb the pain of depression or anxiety — to want to escape, in a blog written in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Discussing what she’s learned through both personal experience and professional work in the field.
She also shares a list of books that has helped her better understand the deep and often overlooked relationship between mental health and substance misuse, saying the books have offered her invaluable insights into public health, trauma, healing, and the urgent need to shift how we support vulnerable communities.
Jan Buchler didn’t set out to work for nonprofit organizations, but once she found herself in the field, she knew she’d found her purpose, not just in service, but in connection. From her early experiences as an undergraduate working with families at the Spanish Center to her decades of leadership in community based-organizations, Jan’s path has always been shaped by a belief in the power of showing up, learning from others, and building something stronger together. Jan’s work has never been about going it alone, it’s been about creating spaces where people come together to support one another, exchange ideas, and create opportunities to benefit others. That commitment continues through her involvement with Community Advocates Public Policy Institute’s Membership Network, where she remains engaged in the heart of what drew her to this work in the first place: community.
Being a kid is hard. Growing up means navigating a world of big emotions, challenges, and changes, often without the tools to understand or manage them. Many young people face emotional crises but don’t always have the resources or support to cope in a healthy way. Whether it’s anxiety, depression, stress from school, or struggles at home, these feelings can become overwhelming. That’s why Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is such a critical program – it equips adults with the knowledge and skills to support young people in need.
