The Wisconsin State Assembly passed 12 bills Wednesday, all pertaining to improvements in the health system’s ability to deal with mental health cases. This includes monetary incentives for psychiatric care physicians to expand their area of service and even work in rural areas. Most bills passed unanimously, others received a single no vote from Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend. The bills authorize the spending of an additional $4 million by mid-2015.
The bills include:
Increasing service in rural areas
Sets aside $1.5 million in tax-deductible grants to primary care physicians and psychiatrists, incentivizing them to practice in underserved areas. The money would go to a maximum of 12 new physicians and 12 new psychiatrists annually. Practitioners would receive a maximum of $60,000 over three years if they chose to participate.
Creation of a mental health hotline
Mandates the creation of a hotline for children and teenagers to use for consultation with psychiatrists, especially in rural areas. The hotline would be financed by $1 million split over two years.
Employment grants
Creates a grant program worth $970,000 to help people with serious mental health illnesses find jobs.
Creation of mobile crisis teams
Provides $250,000 to counties for the creation of mobile crisis teams over the next two years. Currently 57 out of 72 counties have established these teams.
Creation of peer-run respite centers
Provides $250,000 to pay for peer-run respite centers for people with mental health or substance abuse issues, with the idea of reducing pressure on the mental health system by funding services provided by people who have completed recovery programs.
Training law enforcement officials
Provides $250,000 in the training of correctional and law enforcement officers on how to face and effectively deal with situations involving people suffering from a behavioral crisis.
Require a report
Mandates state Department of Health Services to compile a report at the end of the year and bi-annually on what mental health services are being provided in each county.
Alternatives to prosecution
Gives counties $750,000 over two years to help run treatment programs that serve as alternatives for prosecution, in cases where crimes have been committed as a result of mental health issues.
Easier to share records
Creates a system to make it easier for health care providers to share records about mental health patients’ treatment.
The safe passage of the bills through the State Assembly received an enthusiastic response from several representatives. Among them was a bill authored by Sen. Jerry Petrowski, R-Marathon, who had earlier lamented the lack of services available to mental health patients.
“It is not acceptable that rural communities in my district and across the state are suffering from a lack of access to mental health services,” Petrowski said in the statement. “It is crucial that we give children greater access to therapy and give our adults increased access to employment.”
More praise came from Mental Health America of Wisconsin.
“Together these bills will increase equitable access to community-based mental health services for adults and children across Wisconsin,” the group said in a statement.
The bills now head to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk for approval.
