Mental health crisis facilities, Wisconsin lawmakers hear testimony

MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin lawmakers want to build urgent care centers for people experiencing a mental health crisis.

Police and state health officials testified Wednesday, Nov. 1 in support of a bipartisan bill that would spend up to $10 million on regional crisis facilities.

Supporters said the facilities would serve as short-term stabilization sites and reduce the burden on police officers and sheriff's deputies who sometimes spend entire shifts driving to find a psychiatric facility with open space.

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"If you have a heart attack, we have a very unique system in this state for dealing with people who have it – but we’re behind the curve on how we treat the mentally ill," said Lake Delton Police Chief Daniel Hardman. "This is the very best first stop that I’ve seen. It’s like creating emergency rooms for people in crisis."

State Sen. Howard Marklein of Spring Green wrote the bill. If approved, he said the first regional facility would mos likely be built in western Wisconsin with up to five regional facilities in the future.