Recognizes World Suicide Prevention Day, highlight grants to help reduce suicide deaths – WisPolitics

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers and the Evers Administration today, on World Suicide Prevention Day, are raising awareness and highlighting efforts by the Evers Administration to expand mental health services and save lives. Gov. Evers proclaimed September 8 through September 14, 2024, Suicide Prevention Week, as well as the entire month of September as Suicide Prevention Month. A copy of the governor’s Suicide Prevention Week and Suicide Prevention Month proclamation is available here.

“From our veterans and farmers to kids and families across our state, mental health affects everyone, and it’s no secret that Wisconsinites in every corner of the state are experiencing increased mental and behavioral health support needs. But we want to remind everyone that, in Wisconsin, no one carries their struggles alone,” said Gov. Evers. “Today, we recognize Suicide Prevention Day to help raise awareness, reduce the stigma around talking about mental health, and commit to the work we must do to ensure folks can get the help they need when and where they need it.”

Anyone in need of support can call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at all hours of the day or night to talk with a trained counselor about any challenge or concern. This service is free and confidential.

Additional mental health resources are available on the Wisconsin Department of Health Service (DHS) website are:

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has online resources to help farmers and farm families struggling with mental health. More information about the Wisconsin Farm Center’s free and confidential services for farmers can be found online here or by calling the 24/7 Wisconsin Farmer Wellness Helpline at (888) 901-2558.

If you are in imminent danger or experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. If you are having thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself, call your county’s crisis line or 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 

Last year, in recognition of the troubling statistics seen over the past few years regarding mental health and the growing demand for mental and behavioral health services providers have seen across the state, Gov. Evers declared 2023 the Year of Mental Health, calling mental and behavioral health a “burgeoning crisis” affecting the state and Wisconsin’s kids, families, and workforce.

“There is no single action we can take to prevent all deaths by suicide, and that is why our investments must support statewide comprehensive strategies while also bringing resources to local communities,” said DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson. “By working together today and every day, we can break down barriers to well-being and care and provide support to communities to create a state where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.”

“As a Marine veteran and someone who has been there for loved ones in crisis, I’ve also witnessed firsthand the power of connection and community in mental healthcare,” said Wisconsin Department Veterans Affairs (DVA) Secretary James Bond. “I’m grateful to Gov. Evers for investing in veteran mental health care and recognizing the importance of community, especially among veterans. We all have a role to play in making sure folks know that resources are available.” 

“This Suicide Prevention Day, I want to remind all that mental health is just as important as physical health, and there are resources available to you,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “DATCP seeks to support farmers and veterinary professionals through free and confidential services at the Wisconsin Farm Center and the Veterinary Professional Assistance Program.”

To monitor health outcomes in the state, DHS tracks deaths by suicide and is publishing the data on a new data dashboard. Currently, available data from DHS indicates that 932 Wisconsinites died by suicide in 2022, an increase from 905 in 2021. This is the first time the state has seen more than 900 suicide deaths in consecutive years. Data for 2023 is not currently available.

The work highlighted below includes ongoing efforts by the Evers Administration to improve the system of care for people in distress and ensure all state residents have someone to contact, such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, make sure there is someone to respond, like mobile teams of professionals who can meet people where they are at in the community, and provide a safe place to get help, like crisis urgent care and observation facilities, which are under development, as well maintain the existing crisis stabilization facilities for kids and adults. Additional information regarding crisis services available through DHS is available here.

ADDRESSING HIGH SUICIDE RATES IN RURAL AREAS
Men, ages 25 and older, who live in rural counties die by suicide at a higher rate than any other population in Wisconsin, with nearly 70 percent of state suicide deaths in 2022 among this group. Three grant programs are focused on building protective factors to make it less likely someone will die by suicide.

The Gun Shop Project, a partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin and DHS, will receive $50,000 annually through 2027. Most suicides in Wisconsin are caused by firearms, and this statewide project works with firearm retailers and range owners to share guidelines on how to avoid selling or renting a firearm to a person in distress and encourages the posting and distribution of suicide prevention materials. This project also supports free and low-cost firearm storage.

Wausau-based Aspirus Health, which provides healthcare in many rural Wisconsin counties, is receiving $100,000 annually through 2027 to teach staff the Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) model. This model gives healthcare providers tools to work with patients before and during times of crisis.

Men in rural Wisconsin also struggle to get access to mental healthcare. Under a $50,000 annual grant through 2027, Newcap of Green Bay is adding computer kiosks in its offices in Northeastern Wisconsin, allowing people to connect with mental health providers elsewhere in the state through telehealth services. Community healthcare workers are providing digital literacy training to help people understand how to use this technology.

These programs are funded through a federal grant awarded to DHS from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

SUPPORTING LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS
Ten organizations each have been awarded $25,000 per year for the next five years to prevent and reduce suicidal actions in children with a serious emotional disturbance and adults with a serious mental illness. All communities in the state are expected to benefit from this grant program. The grant recipients include:

• CAP Services Inc., Stevens Point
• Great Rivers United Way, Onalaska
• Journey Mental Health Center, Madison
• Lad Lake, Dousman
• Mental Health America of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Newcap Inc., Green Bay
• Pointters Community Initiatives, Menasha
• VPI Inc., Appleton
• WestCare Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Workforce Resource Inc., Menomonie  

These grants are the result of 2023 Wisconsin Act 85, which requires DHS to set aside funds each year for suicide prevention programming. The funds come from Wisconsin’s portion of the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant. 

The funded efforts include help building coping skills and support networks, training for community partners on how to respond to someone with suicidal thoughts, and training for organization staff on effective mental health therapy techniques.

IMPROVING THE 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE
In October 2023, Gov. Evers announced that DHS would be receiving nearly $17 million in new federal funding to enhance operations of the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline, the service that answers calls, texts, and chats to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline from Wisconsin-based phone numbers and locations. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched in July 2022 after U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) led efforts to establish the program and secure funding. In its first year of service, Wisconsin’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline received more than 91,800 contacts—one of the highest call volumes in the nation—and individuals reported struggling with suicidal thoughts and intent, as well as challenges with mental health, substance use, and interpersonal or relationship issues and abuse.

While 99 percent of the contacts to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline from Wisconsin are resolved through conversation with a trained counselor, one percent of the contacts require additional support. To ensure they get the help they need, five counties have been awarded grants for efforts to build better connections between the state’s contact center—the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline—and local systems of supports.

Dane, Milwaukee, Racine, Taylor, and Waukesha counties each received $200,000 for the next year to support people from the county referred for further help by the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This could include sending a team of trained professionals where the person with a behavioral health crisis is at, such as their home, workplace, or school. This is known as a mobile crisis response. Another example could be establishing a crisis response plan with the county crisis program.

The models of coordination established by these counties could serve as examples for other counties to follow as part of a DHS plan to integrate the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline with services for people in need of emergency behavioral healthcare and treatment.

Find more information on Wisconsin’s suicide prevention efforts and state suicide data on the DHS website here.

ADDITIONAL EVERS ADMINISTRATION EFFORTS TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH STATEWIDE
Gov. Evers has been a champion for expanding access to mental and behavioral healthcare services across Wisconsin. In addition to declaring 2023 the Year of Mental Health, last year, the governor announced his 2023-25 executive budget would include more than $500 million to expand access to mental and behavioral health services across Wisconsin. While Republicans in the Wisconsin State Legislature slashed many of these investments during the budget deliberation process, the final 2023-25 biennial budget signed by Gov. Evers still included several critical investments to ensure more Wisconsinites can get the mental healthcare they need, including students, farmers, and veterans. Some of those investments included:

• Providing $30 million to continue support for school-based mental health services modeled on the governor’s successful “Get Kids Ahead” initiative. This program will allocate funding to every school district and independent charter school statewide for mental health-related programming and services;
• Providing $200,000 for mental health assistance to farmers and farm families through the Wisconsin Farm Center. This crucial funding enables farmers and farm family members to access in-person counseling services from a participating mental health provider in their local area at no cost;
• Increasing funding by 25 percent for county veteran services offices and Tribal veterans service offices, which help veterans connect to benefits, preventative programming, and mental health resources;
• Providing more than $30 million over the biennium to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for services provided in hospital behavioral health units;  
• Providing $7 million over the biennium for the psychiatry and behavioral health residency program at the Medical College of Wisconsin to support the recruitment and training of psychiatry and behavioral health residents;
• Providing $10 million in funding for up to two crisis urgent care and observation centers, which will serve as regional receiving and stabilization facilities to improve service delivery and patient outcomes;
• Providing $2 million over the biennium to establish a telemedicine crisis response pilot program in order to provide faster and more efficient care;
• Providing more than $1 million over the biennium for social-emotional training and technical assistance for child care providers; and
• Providing more than $500,000 in Tribal gaming revenues over the biennium to the Oneida Nation for staff and service costs in their Healing to Wellness Court to support a coordinated, post-conviction substance use program that will reduce recidivism and break the cycle of substance use.

Last September, Gov. Evers and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Secretary James Bond announced nearly $650,000 in Veteran Mental Health Community-Based Organization Grants to 16 nonprofit organizations to promote positive mental health through activities, programs, and services that enhance the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of Wisconsin veterans, and in May, Gov. Evers and DVA Secretary James Bond announced an additional nine nonprofit organizations are receiving Veteran Mental Health Community-Based Organization Grant funding. The Veterans Mental Health Community-Based Organization Grant is part of Gov. Evers’ $10 million investment in veterans services, which was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and based on recommendations released by the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity. In his 2022 State of the State address, Gov. Evers announced that he would be signing an executive order creating the Commission to develop new, innovative initiatives to support the more than 300,000 veterans who live in Wisconsin. The Commission was charged with identifying gaps in existing services, areas in need of robust investment, and reducing barriers to economic security, including efforts to expand access to higher education and job training, address housing insecurity, and increase mental and behavioral health support and substance use disorder treatment. Following the release of the Commission’s final report and recommendations in September 2022, Gov. Evers announced this $10 million investment in veterans services across the state, and more details about the investment are available here.

In June, Gov. Evers and DHS announced that five crisis stabilization facilities are now open across Wisconsin. DHS set aside $10 million in 2021 to support the development of five crisis stabilization facilities for adults, with each location serving multiple counties. The funding is part of Wisconsin’s share of ARPA funds reserved for mental health and substance use services. 

In addition to the $10 million in ARPA funds that went toward opening the five crisis stabilization centers, as mentioned above, the 2023-25 budget signed by Gov. Evers provided $10 million over the biennium in the Joint Committee on Finance’s (JFC) supplemental appropriation fund to establish two crisis urgent care and observation centers. Earlier this year, Gov. Evers also signed Senate Bill 462, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 249, which builds upon this work in the 2023-25 budget by establishing a certification process for crisis urgent care and observation facilities and a grant program to develop and support these new facilities utilizing the $10 million allocated in the 2023-25 budget. Based on similar frameworks Gov. Evers proposed as part of all three of his executive budget proposals and on DHS’s proposals for these five crisis stabilization facilities, Act 249 will introduce additional points of contact and service for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, allowing them to be treated in the community and closer to their support systems and home. Additionally, adding new centers will help reduce the amount of time law enforcement and first responders currently must dedicate to emergency detention cases by offering a dedicated first responder drop-off location that accepts custody of emergency detention cases and does not require that medical clearances be completed before drop-off.