Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative is back at work and looking to expand

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The coronavirus pandemic has taken some of the attention away from the opioid epidemic this year, but those drugs are still taking a tragic toll. 

CBS 58 learned Tuesday, Sept. 1, that the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI) is back at work, helping overdose victims after it was forced to stop for a while. 

MORI is a partnership involving the Milwaukee Fire Department and Milwaukee Health Department. It allows a case worker, a specialist, to go with paramedics when there's an overdose call. 

"The access that we have as the Milwaukee Fire Department into the homes is nine-tenths of the battle and then bringing the extra weapon of having a peer support specialist coming in and can talk the talk and having partnership with Lyft, where when they say we're ready to go, we don't say we'll get you a ride, we'll see you tomorrow, we go right now," said Capt. Michael Wright, Milwaukee Fire Department. 

More than 60 people have taken advantage of the MORI program since it started last year. Organizers are now hoping to expand it.