Blue Ribbon Commission
on
Mental Health Care
Executive Summary
Introduction
The Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Health was appointed in May 1996.
The Governor's charge to the Commission was to examine the mental health delivery system
and the principle of a state/county partnership; the mental health services provided
for children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly; and the impact of stigma on community
perceptions and current mental health policies.
The Executive Order creating the Commission further directed it to:
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Recommend model mental health delivery systems that are effective in an environment that
emphasizes managed care, client outcomes, and performance contracting;
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Recommend ways the federal, state, and county governments can cooperate to gain fiscal
efficiencies and greater service capacity;
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Recommend a service system targeted at prevention, early intervention, treatment,
recovery, and positive consumer outcomes, and
- Recommend ways to reduce stigma in Wisconsin's mental health policies and programs.
Commission membership included all key Wisconsin stakeholder groups interested in
mental health services for the state's citizens. Members represented public and
private service providers, county and state elected officials, consumers (that is, persons
who receive mental health services), consumers, family members, advocates, the
judicial community, and insurance and hospital groups.
The Commission met monthly from June 1996 until February 1997. It created three
committees and several short-term work groups to develop special reports. The
Commission sought broad public input from a total of more than 700 persons.
Blue Ribbon Commission work paralleled the Department of Health and Family Services,
Long-Term Care Redesign Initiative. The Commission provided input to the department
and made a strong commitment to coordinate mental health services with the long-term care
initiative. Both initiatives are intended to build upon the foundation of a unified
approach to serving persons with various disabilities set in place by Chapter 51.
Last Revised: April 09, 2008 |
