Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention

AB 1035 expands Wisconsin's deflection initiative by providing $400,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to existing participating sites. It allows these sites to use grants for hiring staff, contracting vendors for program evaluations, or purchasing technology that meets privacy standards like HIPAA. Vendors must have at least five years of experience with similar programs and comply with legal requirements. The bill also adds $107,100 for one additional full-time position to support this expansion.

AB 1081 adjusts payment rates for opioid treatment programs using medication-based care to match Medicare rates for comparable services starting in 2027. It also sets new staffing requirements, including a medical director with addiction medicine experience who must be present 40% of dosing time (reduced to 20% for the first 60 days of operation), and mandates one counselor for every 55 enrolled patients. The bill changes admission rules for minors, requiring documented failed detox attempts and written parental consent, while adding requirements for initial physical exams and Hepatitis/HIV testing with patient consent. These provisions directly affect all Wisconsin opioid treatment programs providing medication-assisted therapy.

AB 886 creates a $2 million pilot program to fund grants for local governments and nonprofits that provide non-medication, non-talk therapy mental health treatments for children. The program allocates up to $50,000 per grant to expand access to research-based alternatives, such as art or play therapy, for children in need. Grants are limited to a two-year duration from the program's effective date, with applications open to cities, towns, counties, or qualifying nonprofits. The bill directly affects community organizations serving children by providing targeted funding for specific treatment approaches.

AB 960 requires most social media platforms operating in the state to display a clear, prominent mental health warning each time a user in the state accesses the platform. The warning must inform users about potential negative mental health effects and provide access to crisis resources like the 988 suicide hotline. It applies to platforms defined as user-generated content services (excluding search engines, email, business communication tools, and streaming services), and prohibits hiding warnings in terms of service or allowing users to disable them without specific conditions. Violations may result in fines up to $5,000 per incident, enforced by state departments.

AB 115 creates a new youth behavioral health program under Wisconsin's Medical Assistance program to coordinate care for individuals under 21 with complex behavioral health needs. The bill requires collaboration between the Department of Health Services, Children's Services, Education, and county agencies to provide specific services like mobile crisis response, home-based treatment, inpatient care, and substance use services. It mandates regional care coordination through community organizations or counties and grants the Department rule-making authority to set standards for providers. The program aims to keep families supported in communities while reducing reliance on institutional care, with funding tied to Medical Assistance reimbursement.