Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mental Health Capacity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Walworth County places Chippewa County's proposed inpatient psychiatric hospital resolution on file
Summary
The board voted to place on file a resolution from Chippewa County requesting support for building an inpatient psychiatric treatment facility in northern Wisconsin while staff raised concerns about lobbying priorities and recommended relying on existing crisis stabilization centers and WCA channels.
Walworth County Health and Human Services board on Jan. 22, 2025, voted to place on file a resolution from Chippewa County that asks Wisconsin counties to support creation of an inpatient psychiatric treatment facility in northern Wisconsin.
A staff presenter told the board that while inpatient psychiatric care remains a long-standing regional issue, the staff member had reservations about advocating for building a new state-funded hospital because Walworth County's human services leadership had already established legislative priorities through the Wisconsin Counties Human Services Association (WICSA) and the county's lobbying channels. "The more I thought about it, the less interested I am in advocating for it," the staff member said, explaining concern that adding this request could undercut existing, agreed-upon priorities.
The staff member also noted alternative developments the county is already using to reduce burdens on law enforcement, including crisis stabilization centers (Walworth County has started using a center in Waukesha). He said law enforcement now has the option in many cases to contract with secure transport companies for involuntary psychiatric transports after statutory changes in 2017.
Board action: A motion to place the Chippewa County resolution on file and refer it into the county's advocacy channels was made, seconded and approved. A supervisor clarified that placing it "on file" would route the request into the Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) steering committee process and the association's lobbyist, giving Chippewa County an alternative advocacy channel beyond WICSA.
Why it matters: The resolution asks counties to signal support for building or funding a new inpatient psychiatric hospital in northern Wisconsin. County staff told the board that while inpatient bed availability affects involuntary psychiatric admissions and can burden law enforcement, building a new state hospital is a major policy priority that the county's human services directors had not included on their current list for the upcoming biennial budget.
Ending: The board placed the resolution on file for the county's advocacy process; staff and the WCA steering committee will determine next steps.
