Mental Health Unit Costs Too High

RIPON, Wis (WRPN)- Fond du Lac County’s Executive says the county can no longer afford to fund a costly in-patient mental health unit at the Harbor Haven Nursing Facility.

Sam Kaufman says it is costing them $1 million a year and lately $31,000 a week. He says certain positions are mandated for such a unit, plus the regular workers they employ there.

Kaufman points out at one time the unit had 25 beds all filled with patients. Now it is 8 to 10 and only 4 to 5 of those patients are county residents.

He’s suggesting shutting down the unit and expanding the crisis worker program that has been used successfully by the Sheriff’s Department and Fond du Lac Police Department. Kaufman says they can take some of the burden off those departments by contracting out transportation of those who are suffering a mental health crisis.

He says it’s too early to make any decisions about closing the unit because they need a good plan before they can do that.