UW Health announced Tuesday the launch of AWARE, a statewide coalition to combat Wisconsin's alcohol abuse problem.
The All-Wisconsin Alcohol Risk Education project was initiated by UW Health in response to statistics that place Wisconsin number one in the nation for binge drinking and drinking by high school students, but show's the state trails in penalties for drunken driving.
AWARE, led by a team of clinicians, researchers and educators, aims to fight drunk driving, decrease underage drinking and eliminate insurance practices that discourage reporting injuries caused by drunken driving.
We think it is imperative to address this issue by beginning a very public set of conversations and actions that respond to the health, cultural and financial impacts of alcohol abuse,"" said Dr. Jeffrey Grossman, president and CEO of the UW Medical Foundation.
Currently, Wisconsin is one of two states that do not issue a felony charge until the fifth drunken driving conviction.
Project leaders are pressuring state lawmakers to pass a ""three hits and you're out"" type of penalty that charges drunken drivers with a felony after their third offense, according to Donna Katen-Bahensky, president and CEO of UW Hospital and Clinics.
Further, AWARE encourages lawmakers to pass legislation mandating license suspension for underage consumption or possession of alcohol.
""Instead of leading the country in alcohol abuse, we should lead in progressive reform - as we have in so many areas - and address this serious problem with wisdom, compassion and dedication,"" said Dr. Robert Golden, dean of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.
According to Katen-Bahensky, the annual economic impact of alcohol-related health and social problems in Wisconsin is nearly $5 billion, which places a burden on hospitals and taxpayers.
""Wisconsin is wasting millions of dollars every month on drunk driving accidents, which drain precious economic resources,"" Grossman said.
Because Wisconsin law allows health insurance companies to deny coverage for the impaired driver's hospital bill, health care providers often resort to charity funds in order to cover medical costs, Katen-Bahensky said.
""The result is a health care catastrophe where clinicians are discouraged from screening patients for addictive disorders and care is uncompensated,"" she said. ""This catastrophe means stretching already thin resources.""
Initial efforts of AWARE will focus on the development of laws that increase penalties for drunken drivers, particularly first time offenders.
""It is essential for public policy to address this problem in our state,"" Golden said. ""Our current laws are enablers. This must stop.
