Milwaukee's Serenity Inns; addiction treatment, recovery for men

MILWAUKEE - In 2022, more than 600 people died from overdoes. That is a number first responders in Milwaukee County say is only going up. Now, there is a new effort to slow that growth. 

The executive director of the new facility says every 16 hours, someone in Milwaukee County overdoses.

More than 650 men have walked through the doors of Serenity Inns since 2004. It can be found on the corner of 28th and Brown in Milwaukee.

"There’s a lot more opportunity in humanity," said Stone Ridge, Serenity Inns resident. 

Ridge said Serenity Inns saved his life. It is a residential treatment program in Milwaukee helping men with addiction recover. 

"It’s actually given me a lot more opportunities in my life," Ridge said. 

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Serenity Inns Chief Executive Director Kenneth Ginlack said he has to turn people away because there is not enough room. 

Kenneth Ginlack

"We average about four to five calls a week from community members, individuals that’s looking to get into treatment and we don’t have a bed available," Ginlack said. 

That will soon change. On Tuesday, Sept. 26, the city announced a new $3 million facility. It will go across the street from the existing building – and serve 60 men a year. 

"We’ll be able to save more lives," Ginlack said.

Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski celebrated the groundbreaking. He said his team responds to a dozen drug-related calls a day – and it is only getting worse. 

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"I think it’s the potency of the drugs that are here, I think it’s the mixing of drugs to increase the potency," Lipski said. 

Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski

According to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office, from January to July this year, 161 people died from overdoses.

GInlack said he hopes when the doors open on the new facility, those numbers will go down – and the community can start to heal.

Construction on the new building is set to be finish in fall 2024.