2017-2019 WCMH Budget Priorities
From Dependence to Independence: Mental health disorders are consistently among the top causes of disability leading to loss of ability to work or reductions in productivity. Youth designated as having an “Emotional Behavioral Disability” have the lowest four-year graduation rate among all students with disabilities: 58% in 2013-14 vs. 70%. Provision of effective mental health services and supports are critical for children and adults to achieve optimum health and be successful in life.
Recovery and resiliency principles should inform all new programs, service enhancements or reforms. Recovery and resiliency principles help ensure that services and supports promote connection, healing, hope, and empowerment. These principles also require meaningfully integration of peer and parent support. Specific recommendations for doing so are included in the narrative for the individual priorities.
A.Improve Treatment Services
1.Enhance mental health services for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing.
2.Strengthen suicide prevention treatment andsupport
3.Increase Medicaid rate for outpatient psychotherapy services (individual, group and family) to address service access issues.
4.If BadgerCare work requirements are approved they should apply only to able-bodied adults.
B.Strengthen Community Living Services and Supports
1.Expandcompetitiveemploymentforpeoplewithillnesses.
•Make changes to the MAPP program to remove existing disincentives to work.
•Provide funding to provide training and technical assistance to community-based programs for the purpose of implementing Individualized Placement and Support; a supported employment program for people with mental illnesses.
2.Make investments in transportation to support community living for people with mental illnesses and/or other disabilities.
3.Increase and Expand Investment in Peer Support
•Support the Governor’s Task Force on Opioid Abuse recommendations related to the use of recovery coaches and certified peer specialists in correctional settings and emergency departments, expansion of TAD courts, DWD healthcare workforce grants, Recovery Corps, and Screening Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT).
•Recommend that people with lived experience are involved in development, implementation, evaluation, and leadership for initiatives involving peer specialists and recovery coaches.
•Expand employment programs for recovery coaches and peer specialists.
•Increase funding to support expansion of peer run respites to serve more people throughout the state, and develop legislation to clarify zoning requirements.
4.Support efforts to reduce long-terms stays (greater than 90 days) at Trempealeau County IMD and improve successful community placements.
5.Support creation of homelessness coordinator position and moving the PATH program to DHS.
C.Strengthen Early Identification and Treatment for Children and Youth
1.Expand the Wisconsin Child Psychiatry Consultation Programstatewide
2.Implementation of Pyramid Model with the addition of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
3.Provide consultation funding to enhance school mentalhealth.
4.Fund additional training in Trauma Focused CBT.
5.Trauma Informed System with At Risk Preschool Children.
6.Support Department of Public Instruction budget requests:
- Increase expenditures for school social workers in school districts and independent charter schools, to aid in the provision and expansion of mental health services
- Create a grant program that will support school districts and independent charter schools in connecting youth to needed mental health services
- Support training opportunities aimed at increasing capacity within school districts and independent charter schools to provide mental health screening and intervention services to pupils
- Increase the reimbursement rate for special education expenditures to 28 percent in FY18 and 30 percent in FY19
- Improve Response to Individuals with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice/Criminal Justice Systems.
1.Lincoln Hills / Copper Lake: Independent Review and System Redesign Process
2.Remove individuals under the age of 18 from adult correctional facilities.
3.Expand Opening Avenues to Re-Entry Success to additional counties.
4.Support increased funding for Treatment Alternatives and Diversion Program to replace one-time funding provided in last budget. Support options for low-risk offenders.
March 10, 2017Bolded Items are in Governor’s Budget