Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force

The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force is the voice of the community on issues related to the quality and responsiveness of mental health and substance abuse disorder services.

Willa Tsao

Action Alert: Public Comment on Recommendations for COVID Vaccine Distribution

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BACKGROUND

The State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee (SDMAC) Vaccine Subcommittee has developed recommendations for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to consider regarding which groups should be given priority in the next phase of vaccine distribution, which is referred to as 1b prioritization. The draft of the recommendations are available at this link, Wisconsin Public Meeting Notices and Minutes – Department of Administration.

Click here for an accessible PDF of the SDMAC Vaccine Subcommittee recommendations for 1b Prioritization.

I have listed below some of the groups that the Advisory Committee recommended to be prioritized in the 1b distribution.  If you agree with these recommendations, this is an important time to submit your comments in support.

Some of the groups prioritized by the Advisory Committee include:

  • People above 70 years of age.
  • IRIS and family Care recipients.
  • Facility staff and residents of congregate settings. See the details in the definition. The definition includes housing serving those with age or disability, shelters, transitional housing, and incarcerated individuals, and those in mental health institutes.  (the current language does not specify state and county mental health facilities, but that could be suggested in public comment).
  • Public facing essential workers (listed in the document).

 

TAKE ACTION NOW

The recommendations are out now for public comment.

  • Submit your comments to DHSSDMAC@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
  • Include “vaccine subcommittee” and “Phase 1B” in the email subject line.
  • The public comment period will close at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, January 18, 2021.

Covid-19 Vaccine

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The following materials are related to the COVID-19 vaccine and its distribution.

  • The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force has signed on a joint letter to the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee’s (SDMAC) Subcommittee on Vaccines, providing input on vaccine distribution during the Phase 2b vaccine rollout. The letter can be read here in PDF form: Letter to the SDMAC’s Subcommittee on Vaccines.
  • The State Department of Health Services has more information on the committee’s purpose and goals, the various subcommittees under the umbrella, and related materials here: State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee.
  • Our partners at the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities have created a new plain language fact sheet about the COVID-19 Vaccine: Plain Language Covid-19 Vaccine Information Sheet.
  • Attorney Mitch Hagopian, Disability Rights Wisconsin, and Marcia Stickel, RN, Waisman Center, joined BPDD Living Well on this video to talk about the new COVID-19 vaccine.  The video addresses what the vaccine means, when we can expect to get it, and why its important to get it when it is available to you. You can view the video here: Living Well Project: Covid-19 Vaccine Update

Mental Health Task Force January 12th virtual meeting

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Please join us for the January meeting of the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force, Tuesday, January 12th at 3 PM.  We value your participation and partnership.  Scroll down to request the Zoom link.

To follow up on our October 2020 forum on Housing, we are including education about housing resources and rights at several 2021 meetings.

Our January agenda will include the following:

Meeting Agenda (PDF)

Meeting Logistics

  • ASL Interpreters will be available.  If you use an ASL interpreter or have other disability related accommodation needs, please email me at barbara.beckert@drwi.org so we can be responsive to your needs.
  • Meeting materials will be posted on the Mental Health Task Force website prior to the meeting.
  • Reminder:  MHTF Membership drive: A reminder that we welcome and need your support for our annual membership drive.  Your support is vital to the work of the Task Force.  Thank you to those who have already responded.  Click here for membership materials.

Save the Dates

  • January 12, 2021, at 7:00 PM: Governor Evers State of the State Address.
  • January 28, 2021, at 4:30 PM: Milwaukee County Mental Health Board meeting with public input.
  • February 1, 2021, at 6:00 PM: DRW Mental Health Advocacy Assistance: Information and Input.  Virtual event.  Register at http://www.drwi.org/pac-event.
  • February 9, 2021, Mental Health Task Force Meeting:  Featured topic will be Existing and Emerging Models of Crisis Response.  Our speaker will be Amy C Watson, PhD, Professor, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare. Here is a short bio from Dr. Watson: My work over the past 20 years has focused on the intersection of the criminal justice and mental health systems-including mental health courts, re-entry programs, and police response to mental health crisis.  I have conducted several federally funded studies of the Crisis Intervention Team model and have examined various models of crisis response.  I served on the compliance team for the City of Portland (OR) settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice and the Mayor’s Mental Health Steering Committee (Chicago).  I currently serve as the President of the CIT International Board of Directors.
  • February 16, 2021, at 7:00 PM:  Governor Evers Budget Address.

If you don’t have the link to join the meeting, please fill out the form below.  The meeting link will be sent to your email.