Legislative Republicans unveiled a package of bills on Tuesday aimed at improving mental health in Wisconsin.
One of the bills will increase the funding available to non profits for youth mental health services. Boys and Girls Club of Wisconsin executive director Andy Gussert says helping kids as they go through childhood is a vital and needed task.
“There are some people who may want to debate whether we should spend money on addressing youth mental health or trauma informed care. But it’s not really debate. We will spend money on these youths at one time or another.”
Another bill will overhaul how the state licenses psychologists, something that Dr. Bruce Erdmann says is sorely needed.
“The current licensing law was drafted in the early 1990s, when the internet was in its infancy, email was only used by a select few and nerds, cell phones were unheard of, and no one knew anything about texting.”
Other bills will encourage psychiatrists to move to Wisconsin though the use of tax deductions, and also provide funding for the Clubhouse organization to improve mental heath facilities.
