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

Milwaukee Health Task Force March 9th Meeting & Budget Briefing

by

Join us at the March Mental Health Task Force meeting on Tuesday March 9th from 3 – 5 PM. We are pleased to welcome Wisconsin Medicaid Director Jim Jones, who will provide an update on recent Medicaid initiatives, as well a state budget update. Following Director Jones, we will have a special briefing on the 2021 – 2023 biennial budget, including opportunities for advocacy.

  1. Opening Remarks and Welcome, MHTF co-chairs Mary Neubauer & Christine Apple: 3:00 – 3:05 PM
  2. Medicaid and Budget updates, Jim Jones Wisconsin Medicaid Director: 3:05 – 3:45 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.
  3. 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, 3:45 – 3:50
  4. Briefing on Biennial Budget, Barbara Beckert and Phyllis Greenberger, Disability Rights Wisconsin: 3:50 – 5 PM

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.

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.

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.






    February 2021 Webinar Series

    by

    The Mental Health Task Force is a community partner of the Milwaukee Turners Confronting Mass Incarceration Committee 2021 webinars. The webinars are held at noon each Thursday in February 2021. Registration is required.

    You can view individual webinar information and register for the “The Criminal Legal System and Violence: Restorative Justice as a “Road to Repair” Webinar series on the Milwaukee Turners site here.

    Please note: all webinars will be posted on You-Tube for reference.

    Public Comment on Proposed Mental Health Emergency Center

    by

    The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force provided public comment to the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board on the proposed Mental Health Emergency Center and Crisis Continuum of Care. Steering Committee member, Moriah Iverson, spoke on behalf of the Mental Health Task Force.

    Action Alert: Public Comment on Recommendations for COVID Vaccine Distribution

    by

    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

    by

    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