DHS announce statewide action plan to address mental health crisis

MADISON, Wis (WMDX) – The Governor’s Interagency Council on Mental Health is creating a statewide action plan to improve mental health for Wisconsin citizens, and they want your input on the matter.

On Tuesday, May 13, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) shared details on the council’s new initiative, stating that the plan will increase access to various mental health services and include recommendations on expanding prevention efforts.

Kirsten Johnson, DHS Secretary and chair of the council, urged Wisconsinites to make their voices heard through the new program.

We can’t do this work alone. In order for our work to be successful, we need to hear directly from Wisconsinites impacted by the mental health crisis. Whether you live with a condition, support a loved one, work as a peer support specialist, or work in the mental health field – we want to hear from you.

The survey will be accessible until June 30, and it can be found here.

Numerous state departments have appointed representatives to the council. Additionally, the program is being aided by several other state agencies.

The council is striving to achieve several goals with their new initiative, including reviewing current programs for sustainability or expansion, developing proposals and metrics to address the problem and evaluate the proposal’s effectiveness, and improving social and economic factors, such as health care, housing, financial security, and more.

The full release is available at the DHS website here.