Gov. Scott Walker signed seven bills into law Thursday aimed at improving mental-health services in Wisconsin. These bills include crisis-intervention support, youth services and access to counseling and treatment.
“These bills, which I am proud to sign today, are a huge step forward in the cause to ensure every individual living with mental illness gets the care they need,” Walker said in a release. “I thank the members of the legislature for their bipartisan work on these bills.”
The bills came into legislation after months of work by the Speaker’s Taskforce on Mental Health. State Sen. Jerry Petrowski, R-Marathon, and state Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, R-West Allis, authored two of the bills.
Bill #458: Increasing access to mental health services for children in rural areas
This bill uses “telehealth,” defined as the use of audio and video connections to create the same environment as conventional therapy. “Telehealth” will connect providers to children who would not otherwise have access to health care.
Bill #450: Providing grants for crisis-intervention program for law-enforcement officials
Law enforcement and correctional officers will now be trained to assist people in a mental-health crisis. The bill provides $250,000 to the Department of Health Services. Counties and municipalities will have the opportunity to apply to access part of the grant.
Bill #454: Creating primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program
Psychiatrists and physicians can now apply for educational grants aimed at encouraging more applicants to apply to medical programs.
? Graduated from a Wisconsin medical school or graduate medical-education program that emphasized primary care of psychiatry
? Currently practice in an underserved region of the state
? Apply for grant while participating in graduate medical training and before accepting employment
? Do not owe past-due child support
Petrowski praised the passage of the bills.
"I applaud the work done by the Speaker’s Mental Health Taskforce and Governor Walker and their commitment to make these long overdue improvements to mental health services in Wisconsin,” Petrowski said in a statement.
