Dunn County awarded SCIP funds to expand mobile outreach peer support

Dunn County has been awarded funding through the state Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) to expand a mobile outreach peer support program, program director Andrew Garr told the Criminal Justice Collaborating Council on Aug. 21. "This funding provides us with a unique opportunity to strengthen and expand WEMA's mobile outreach peer support program throughout the county," Garr said.

The grant, administered by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and linked in the presentation to the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, makes $1,680,000 available statewide; counties were eligible for awards up to $75,000 with no local match. The funding period begins Sept. 1, 2025, and runs through Sept. 30, 2026. Garr said the award will allow Dunn County to add mobile peer specialists as a voluntary, in-person option for people experiencing mental health or substance-use–related distress.

Garr said mobile outreach peer specialists will "work alongside law enforcement, EMS, and other partners," providing peer-led support, de-escalation and linkages to community services. He distinguished the new service from the existing crisis line: "Northwest Connections is primarily a 24/7 crisis helpline," he said, while mobile outreach will be "peer led and community based" and go into homes and public spaces for face-to-face support. Garr also named local connections the specialists will use for continuity of care, including the Kaleidoscope Peer Recovery Center, Monarch House and Project Hope.

Garr described the service as voluntary and available to individuals or family members who are not necessarily in immediate crisis: it can be activated on-scene by law enforcement or EMS or requested by the person or their supports. He said the program aims to reduce reliance on emergency departments and law enforcement as the only crisis response options and to collect data to show outcomes that align with CJCC’s evidence-based mission.

Questions from council members focused on partnerships and service details; Garr said the program will launch this fall and fielded questions about Monarch House, which he described as a peer-run respite offering up to seven overnight stays for people experiencing mental health or substance-use challenges. "Monarch House is located in Menomonie ... and it offers emergency services for individuals that are looking for a place to stay for up to seven overnights," Garr said.

The council did not take a formal vote on the program during the meeting but heard Garr's presentation and discussed next steps for coordination with law enforcement, EMS and local providers.

Ending: The SCIP-funded mobile outreach peer support is slated to begin Sept. 1, 2025; CJCC members expressed support and asked staff to continue coordinating operational details and partnerships ahead of the launch.