Two years ago, Wisconsin was celebrated as the top state in the nation for mental health services. Today Wisconsin has dropped many spots in national ranking, and the mental health crisis has continued to get worse. This crisis is a national problem plaguing the country. For every 420 people in Wisconsin, there is only one mental health provider, and something needs to be done.

As the days go on people in Wisconsin struggle to get mental health care. Long wait times, provider shortages, and budget cuts make it hard to get the help they need. The decline in mental health services has affected many people across the state. The people who are being affected are forced to wait months for help, travel far distances, or be left with few to no options for the help they need.

However, there is a big solution to solve this crisis. Wisconsin should allow qualified providers from out-of-state to use telehealth to care for Wisconsin patients. This would increase the number of patients being seen and improve access to people who need it. It has been done in the past during COVID-19 for emergency reasons and was successful. Why should we put an end to this as our mental health continues to decline?

Wisconsin used to be one of the leading states in mental healthcare, and it is time to make that happen once again. The mental health of our state is important and the longer we wait, the longer people suffer. I urge our lawmakers to prioritize mental health and put in place an interstate counseling compact to ensure everyone has equal and easy access to the mental healthcare they need. Let’s act now to restore Wisconsin’s mental health system.

Works Cited

Sentinel, J. (2024, July 30). 2 years ago, Wisconsin ranked No. 1 in mental health. It’s fallen 12 spots as the crisis persists. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2024/07/30/how-wisconsin-ranked-on-mental-health-americas-2024-state-report/74472847007/# 

Kertscher, T., Wisconsin State Assembly, CJ Szafir, Kaiser Family Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Riccioli, J., & County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. (n.d.). Knocking down barriers for mental health access. https://reforminggovernment.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/153301-IRG_MentalHealthReport_p2.pdf