New Dane Mental Health Crisis Center: More Than the Money

In these tight economic times, County Executive Kathleen Falk is proposing a new project that makes  sense.

Falk's budget to propose mental health crisis center

A new Dane County mental health crisis center could save taxpayers and hospitals millions of dollars, county officials said in proposing the idea Friday...Falk estimates the new center would cost $595,000 a year to operate, including $95,000 in county taxes and $500,000 in federal medical assistance funds. Falk is pledging another $200,000 in federal grant dollars to build the center in collaboration with a service provider such as the Mental Health Center of Dane County, Hope Haven or Tellurian, which runs Jackson House.

The mental health crisis center is leveraged with federal funding.

Once operational it will provide immediate savings to the county and other health care providers and the families of patients.

Long term it will provide savings to all of the county, local and state agencies that deal with the consequences of untreated mental illness.

In this day of thinking only of money, let us recognize the facility's most important contribution. It will improve the quality of mental health care for patients and their families.

Government is not only about the money.

Disclosure:  I am involved with a bidder on a project for Dane County. County Executive Falk and the Dane County Board will take this matter up in the very near future.