AB 939

This bill removes the specifications on the Milwaukee County Mental Health

Board's appointment of trustees to manage county homes, infirmaries, hospitals, or

institutions providing mental health treatment in Milwaukee County, creates a

deadline for suggesting individuals to fill Milwaukee County Mental Health Board

vacancies, and changes who may remove the administrator of the behavioral health

division of the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services. The

Milwaukee County Mental Health Board is established by Milwaukee County as

specified by law and oversees the provision of mental health programs and services

in Milwaukee County in place of the Milwaukee County board of supervisors.

Current law requires the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board to elect a board

of trustees to manage county homes, infirmaries, hospitals, or institutions providing

mental health treatment. Current law requires the Milwaukee County Mental

Health Board to appoint at its annual meeting an odd number of trustees, from three

to nine, for staggered three-year terms and specifies how the board must fill

vacancies. The bill eliminates the specific requirements for appointment of trustees

and specifies that every county home, infirmary, hospital, or similar institution that

provides mental health treatment in Milwaukee County must be managed as

specified by the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board.

Under current law, a vacancy in a county office that is an appointed position is

filled by the appointing power. Five of the 11 voting members of the Milwaukee

County Mental Health Board are appointed by the Milwaukee County executive

from individuals suggested by the Milwaukee County board of supervisors. The bill

specifies that the board of supervisors must submit its suggestions to fill a vacancy

in one of those positions to the county executive within 60 days after the vacancy

occurs. If the board of supervisors does not submit its suggestions to fill the vacancy

within 60 days, the county executive may fill the vacancy by appointing an individual

who meets the criteria for that board member position without the board of

supervisors's suggestion.

Currently, the administrator of the behavioral health division of the Milwaukee

County Department of Health and Human Services may be removed by vote of the

Milwaukee County Mental Health Board. If the county executive has suggested

removal, the administrator may be removed on a vote of six members of the mental

health board, otherwise the administrator may be removed on a vote of eight

members of the board. Under the bill, the administrator may be removed 1) by a vote

of eight members of the mental health board, 2) by the county executive, or 3) by the

director of the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services.