Milwaukee Mental Health Redesign

The Milwaukee Mental Health Redesign initiative was developed to examine the existing mental health care delivery system in the community, and develop recommendations for improvement using nationwide best practices.

The Redesign initiative studied the level of community-based services, including outpatient care, crisis prevention and crisis alternative services, being offered to patients in need. Improved care plans are being developed.

The initiative is a collaboration of various county and state agencies, health systems, health care organizations, providers of mental health, and consumers.

The Mental Health Redesign and Implementation Task Force is a public/private group working with the Milwaukee County Health & Human Services Behavioral Health Division. The Medical Society of Milwaukee County and Milwaukee Health Care Partnership are among the many organizations participating on the initiative's Implementation Task Force.

Key Objectives

• Review recommendations
  
  
• Develop a unified vision
  
  
• Develop implementation plans
  
  
• Gather diverse input into the process

Activities to Date

• Five Action Teams have been developed and are being led by co-chairs.
  
  
• Action Teams have reviewed over 100 recommendations.
  
  
• Recommendations have been prioritized and condensed to create a unified vision and course of action.
  
  
• Recommendations were presented to the Milwaukee County board in January 2012.
  
  
• A Mental Health Redesign Summit was held on February 14, 2012 with over 170 community participants.
  
  
• HSRI has reviewed progress to date and provided a national perspective.

Next Steps

• Bring together all Action Teams.
  
  
• Review task force membership to reaffirm commitment and ensure participation is reflective of the diverse community, including participants with "lived experiences."

Key Recommendations

• Implement a Person-Directed Recovery model of care.
  
  
• Decrease reliance on inpatient service and Psychiatric Crisis Service by offering enhanced community services.
  
  
• Utilize peer specialists to aid and support clients; move toward a peer-led system.
  
  
• Develop a culturally diverse and competent workforce.
  
  
• Create quality measures, including both process and outcome measures.
  
  
• Assist with housing and employment needs, both of which are critical factors leading to recovery.
  
  
• Decrease emergency detentions by promoting preventative services and improved timely access to services.

Review findings of the initial study, partially funded by MSMC and conducted by the Human Services Research Institute, which launched the initiative.

Visit the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division site for more information.