Milwaukee is a hotspot for a host of community, systematic, and even economical issues. I mean the statistics go on in regards to human trafficking, drug and alcohol abuse, black male incarceration, and more. This year, we even made it on the charts at number 6 for most dangerous cities in the country.
With all that being said, we haven’t even mentioned mental health. According to NAMI.org, in February of 2021, 36.4% of adults in Wisconsin reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. 18.6% were unable to get needed counseling or therapy. That’s over half of the people who needed treatment that weren’t able to get it.
I was driving Uber last week and just so happened to run into a psychiatric Dr. who was preparing for the close of the mental health complex and Psychiatric Crisis Services. She mentioned that most people don’t know it and that there were many flaws in the system. She said that this was not a good thing, however they have now partnered with other community partners to help fill the gap.
After doing my own research, I found that the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Behavioral Health Services (BHS) announced on Monday, Aug. 15 the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex and Psychiatric Crisis Services (PCS), located for more than 40 years at 9455 W. Watertown Plank Road in Wauwatosa, will permanently close its doors Sept. 9, transitioning services to the new Mental Health Emergency Center, Granite Hills Hospital and other community-based services.
A news release says the anticipated transition to the Mental Health Emergency Center marks the next phase in the redesign of Milwaukee County’s behavioral health system, which began more than a decade ago. Significant developments include the newly-opened Granite Hills Hospital, an acute behavioral health care facility located at 1706 S. 68th Street in West Allis, and transitioning services to community partnerships, located in neighborhoods with the greatest need.
This new model creates easier access to care, the expansion of crisis services and now the Mental Health Emergency Center, which opened Sept. 6 at 1525 N. 12th Street in Milwaukee, a historic public-private partnership between Milwaukee County and the area’s four health systems–Advocate Aurora Health, Ascension Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin and Froedtert Health.
Milwaukee County residents can now access several community-based locations for behavioral health and crisis services in neighborhoods across the county as well as through crisis mobile response teams. Individuals and family members facing a behavioral health or co-occurring crisis can call the Crisis Line at 414-257-7222. Families with children or youth facing a crisis should call the Children’s Mobile Crisis (CMC) at 414-257-7621.
I’m in disbelief that something this huge has been kept such a secret. What are your thoughts? Do you have faith in this “new” system. Do you believe they should have permanently closed? What direction do you see Milwaukee going from here, as it relates to mental health?