Advocacy & Alerts

The Mental Health Task Force submitted recommendations for the 2021 Behavioral Health Division (BHD) budget to the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board.  We encourage you to participate in the 2021 BHD budget process and share your priorities with the Mental Health Board.  Feel free to borrow from the Mental Health Task Force Testimony.

Here are some helpful links:

• Mental Health Task Force Testimony on the 2021 BHD Budget
• 2021 Milwaukee County DHHS Behavioral Health Division Budget– what’s happening and how you can participate
• Submit your budget comments.  You may email the Mental Health Board.

The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force Steering Committee has two openings: for an advocate and an at-large member.  We invite Mental Health Task Force members to consider applying for this leadership position.

Service on the Steering Committee is a leadership role and requires some previous participation in the Mental Health Task Force and a commitment to the values and policy priorities advanced by the Task Force.  See the application form for details on expectations for serving.

To be considered for the open positions, you may self-nominate.  You may also nominate someone else, however, please check with them first, and ask them to also complete and submit the nomination form.

1. Submit nominations by end of business April 30 to Barbara Beckert, MHTF Coordinator.
   • Email to barbara.beckert@drwi.org. Questions?  Call 414-292-2724.
2. Nominees should plan to participate in the May 12th Task Force meeting to speak briefly about their interest in serving.

If you want to learn more about serving on the MHTF Steering committee, please feel free to reach out to our current members.  We are so grateful to them for giving of them time and talents.  They include the following:

Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force Steering Committee:

• Mary Neubauer and Christine Apple, co-chairs
• Shirley Drake
• Chyra Trost
• John Clayton
• Sue Gadacz
• Heather Martens
• Tom Reed
• Pardeep Kaleka
• Patricia Obletz
• Robin Pedersen
• Todd Scharrer
• Barbee Sorensen
• Christine Apple
• Sara Morgan
• Tim McGuire
• Barbara Beckert, Coordinator

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors is concluding their work on the 2020 Milwaukee County Budget and will vote to adopt the budget on November 12th.  Milwaukee County and the funding provided by the County Budget is a critical part of the safety net for children and adults with disabilities, including mental health needs.

Read the MHTF Testimony on 2020 Milwaukee County Budget.

Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force Comments on 2019 Behavioral Health Division Budget Narrative to Milwaukee County Mental Health Board Finance Committee – June 28, 2018
Jeanne Lowry, MMHTF Co-chair

On behalf of the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force (MMHTF), thank you for this opportunity to comment on the 2019 Behavioral Health Division Budget Narrative. The MMHTF includes over 40 community organizations and comprises service providers, individuals who live with a mental illness or substance use disorder, advocates, family members, and other stakeholders who work collaboratively to support improvements in mental health services and advance recovery.

We understand that this is a difficult budget and that as policymakers you are facing difficult choices. We are deeply concerned that revenues are decreasing, which will put at risk the capacity to maintain the commitment to expand community based services and supports to better meet the significant needs in our community for mental health services, and treatment for substance use disorders. In addition, we are concerned that the cost for inpatient services continues to increase, while capacity to provide inpatient services has diminished. We ask for your leadership in finding new options to increase revenue and to support the goal we all share – to support recovery, including access to quality treatment and a range of supports for Milwaukee County children, youth, and adults who live with a mental illness or substance use disorder.

Click here to view entire testimony.