Willa Tsao

Please note on your calendar that the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force April meeting date will be Thursday, April 15^th rather than our usual second Tuesday of the month (April 13^th).  The date was changed to allow for speaker availability.

Join us for our April 15^th meeting which will focus on the future of crisis services in Milwaukee County.  This will include the following:

• Presentation about the Joint Venture Mental Health Emergency Center, Pete Carlson of Advocate Aurora Behavioral Health Services.
• Milwaukee County’s role with the Joint Venture Emergency Center, and the continuum of crisis services, Behavioral Health Division Administrator, Mike Lappen.
• Meeting materials will be posted the week of the meeting.

To submit a question in advance, email Barbara Beckert at barbara.beckert@drwi.org and put “April MHTF Question” in the email subject.

To request disability related accommodations, please email barbara.beckert@drwi.org by April 2^nd.  We will do our best to respond to any requests received after that date.

 

Meeting Registration

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.

Join us at the March Mental Health Task Force meeting on Tuesday March 9th from 3 – 5 PM. The meeting agenda and Zoom link are listed below.

Meeting Agenda

Read the full Meeting Agenda here.

1. Opening Remarks and Welcome, MHTF co-chairs Mary Neubauer & Christine Apple: 3:00 – 3:05 PM
   • We are pleased to welcome Wisconsin Medicaid Director Jim Jones to provide some updates. DRW will provide a briefing on the biennial budget.  We encourage you to get informed and take an active role in supporting the many positive proposals in the budget.
   • Join us for our April 13^th meeting which will focus on the future of crisis services in Milwaukee County. This will include a presentation about the Joint Venture Emergency Center from Pete Carlson, Advocate Aurora Behavioral Health Services, and Joy Tapper, Milwaukee Healthcare Partnership. BHD Administrator Mike Lappen will speak about Milwaukee County’s role with the Joint Venture Emergency Center, and the continuum of crisis services.
2. Briefing on Biennial Budget, Barbara Beckert and Phyllis Greenberger, Disability Rights Wisconsin: 3:05 – 4:15 PM
   • View the Press Release for the Badger Bounceback Live Sessions here.
   • View the presentation for the Wisconsin State Budget training here (accessible pdf) (rev. March 9, 2021).
   • This is one of a series of briefings provided by Disability Rights Wisconsin, The Arc Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities. The briefing will cover policy priorities for the Mental Health Task Force: the Department of Health Services including mental health services, Corrections and Youth Justice, K-12 education, transportation, supports for people experiencing housing insecurity, voting rights, and more.
3. Medicaid and Budget updates, Jim Jones Wisconsin Medicaid Director: 4:15 – 4:50 PM
   Medicaid updates will include Medicaid suspension instead of termination for people who are incarcerated, residential substance use disorder treatment for people, telehealth, and housing supports.
4. Legal Aid Society and ACLU-WI invitation to provide feedback on community and co-provider perception of care and continuity of care provided to individuals with mental illness who have recently experienced (2019 – 2021) incarceration in the Milwaukee County Jail and Milwaukee County House of Correction, Attorney Pete Koneazny, Legal Aid Society, 4:50 – 5PM
   • If you are a service provider/ agency, and would like to schedule a time to provide comments, contact Pete at pkoneazny@lasmilwaukee.com to indicate your interest.
   • Input is also needed from family members and individuals who were cared for in the jail during May 2019 – 2021.  A survey will be posted at the Legal Aid Society website to gather input.

Meeting Logistics

• ASL Interpreters will be available. If you use an ASL interpreter or have other disability related accommodation needs, please email barbara.beckert@drwi.org so we can be responsive to your needs.
• Meeting materials will be posted on this page as they become available prior to the meeting.

State Budget Resources

• View the presentation for the State Budget Training for Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force here (rev. March 9, 2021).
• View the 2021-2023 Executive Budget in Brief here.
• View the full Budget Bill (SB 111) here.
• Register and attend Governor Evers Budget Bounceback Sessions here.  Registration is required.

Share your budget priorities with state legislators:

• To get contact information for your state Senator and Representative:
  • “Who Are My Legislators?” on Wisconsin State Legislature Home Page
  • Call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-362-9472
• To contact members of the state budget committee:  Joint Committee on Finance: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/committees/joint/2293

Save the Date

Milwaukee County Mental Health Board meeting

• March 18^th at 4:30. Includes Public Input on the BHDS budget.  Check the website for meeting agenda and the link to participate:  https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/DHHS/About/Governance

April 6^th Election – important dates

Registration:

•  By mail or online: Mar 17
•  In-Person: Apr 6
•  At Municipal Clerk’s Office until Apr 2

Absentee:

• Request your ballot ASAP to allow time to receive and return.  Legal deadline to request is April 1 by 5 pm

Resources:

• My Vote Wisconsin:  https://myvote.wi.gov/
• Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition:  https://disabilityvote.org/

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.