AB 718

This bill creates the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board (MCMHB)

attached to the Department of Health Services (DHS) for limited purposes. The

MCMHB is comprised of 11 voting and 2 nonvoting members nominated by the

governor and with advice and consent of the senate appointed to serve for four-year

terms. The bill specifies procedures for suggesting individuals for nominations and

creates limitations on those who may serve as a member of the MCMHB and also sets

criteria for removal of MCMHB members. The Milwaukee County board of

supervisors (county board) must arrange for payment from the Milwaukee County

mental health budget of expenses of the MCMHB under an agreement between the

Milwaukee County board and DHS.

The bill requires the MCMHB to fulfill duties including the following:

overseeing the provision of mental health programs and services in Milwaukee

County; making the final determination on mental health policy in Milwaukee

County; replacing the Milwaukee County board of supervisors (county board) in all

mental health functions typically performed by a county board; and attempting to

achieve costs savings in the provision of mental health programs and services in

Milwaukee County. The MCMHB must facilitate delivery of mental health services

in an efficient and effective manner by committing to community-based,

person-centered, recovery-oriented, mental health systems; maximizing

comprehensive community-based services; prioritizing access to community-based

services and reducing reliance on institutional and inpatient care; protecting the

personal liberty of individuals experiencing mental illness so that they may be

treated in the least restrictive environment to the greatest extent possible; providing

early intervention to minimize the length and depth of psychotic and other mental

health episodes; diverting people experiencing mental illness from the corrections

system when appropriate; and maximizing use of mobile crisis units and crisis

intervention training. Under the bill, any contract related to mental health with a

value of at least $100,000, to which Milwaukee County is a party, may take effect only

if the MCMHB does not vote to reject the contract within 14 days after the contract

is signed or countersigned by the county executive.

Under the bill, the MCMHB must allocate moneys for mental health functions,

programs, and services in Milwaukee County within a total budget amount which

is incorporated into the Milwaukee County budget by the county board. The bill sets

the total budget amount for each fiscal year to be the sum of a base budget amount

equal to $177,425,000 and any amount of unexpended moneys held by the

Milwaukee County treasurer in a mental health reserve fund mandated by the bill,

subject to the following adjustments:

1) The bill requires the Milwaukee County treasurer to hold in a mental health

reserve fund any moneys that were appropriated, but not expended, in a fiscal year

for mental health functions, programs, and services in Milwaukee County, and