SB 755 requires correctional facilities to provide specific healthcare and support services to incarcerated people who are pregnant or within six weeks postpartum. It bans unnecessary physical restraints during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period, mandating staff training on these requirements. Facilities must offer pregnancy testing, STI/HIV screening, continuing medication, educational materials on parenting, and access to doula or lactation support services. They must also provide mental health assessments, breastfeeding supplies, and opportunities to express milk to maintain milk supply. These requirements apply to all state correctional facilities under the law.
AB 776 allocates $5 million in state funds to expand veterans' access to mental health services. It requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to promote community-based mental health care and provide grants to organizations offering these services to veterans, including emergency crisis support. The bill streamlines implementation by allowing the department to issue emergency rules without standard public notice requirements. This directly affects veterans seeking mental health care and the community organizations delivering these services. The legislation creates new statutory provisions (45.49) to formalize this program.
SB 309 grants legal immunity to 911 call centers and dispatchers who transfer callers to the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It specifically protects them from civil lawsuits related to those transfers, unless the harm resulted from gross negligence or willful misconduct by the dispatcher or center. The bill defines the "national crisis hotline" as the federally managed 988 number (or its successor). This law directly affects public safety answering points in Wisconsin by limiting their liability when connecting individuals in crisis to the 988 service.
SB 477 creates a statewide suicide prevention program within the Department of Health Services, allocating $250,000 annually for its implementation. The program requires public awareness campaigns, training for law enforcement, healthcare providers, school staff, and others who interact with at-risk individuals, and coordination with community groups and crisis services. It mandates county-level advisory groups, enhanced crisis services, and annual reports to the legislature detailing program activities. The bill directly affects state agencies, community organizations, and professionals working with vulnerable populations like youth, rural residents, and Native Americans.
AB 342 creates a $5 million annual grant program for school districts to hire mental health professionals who are members of racial minority groups. The bill defines "racial minority group" to include Black Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Hispanic individuals, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and multiracial people. School districts receiving grants must use funds specifically to hire qualified professionals from these groups. The Department of Public Instruction will administer the program and establish rules for implementation, with funding allocated for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years.
AB 112 allows minors aged 14 or older to consent to inpatient mental health treatment without parental or guardian approval, directly affecting these minors, their parents/guardians, and mental health facilities. The bill amends statutes to let minors 14+ sign treatment applications themselves, and if parents refuse consent or cannot be found, minors may petition a court for approval. Facilities must now inform minors and parents (if available) of their rights, including the right to an independent evaluation and court hearings. The law requires facilities to file court petitions within 3 days if a minor aged 14+ refuses to join a treatment application. This bill focuses on expanding minor autonomy in mental health care decisions while maintaining court oversight.
SB 110 creates a new state program under the Medical Assistance program to coordinate behavioral health services for youth under 21 with complex needs. It requires collaboration between health, children’s services, education, and county agencies to provide specific services like mobile crisis response, home-based treatment, and residential care, with the goal of keeping families supported in communities and avoiding institutional care. The state can develop rules for the program and must secure federal approval to fund these services. This directly affects young people under 21 and their families seeking these coordinated behavioral health supports.
SB 305 creates a new grant program providing up to $300,000 annually for mental health clubhouses, with individual clubhouses eligible for up to $50,000 per year. The bill directly affects nonresidential mental health clubhouses that support individuals diagnosed with or awaiting diagnosis for mental illness (but do not provide medical treatment), requiring them to meet specific criteria like matching grant funds, maintaining separate facilities, and ensuring voluntary membership. Key provisions include annual funding limits, mandatory member diagnosis requirements, and a requirement that clubhouses raise matching funds equal to the requested grant amount. The program expires on June 30, 2030, and is codified under new sections 20.435(5)(bk) and 46.67 of the statutes.
SB 350 creates state funding to help schools increase mental health staff. Starting in the 2026-27 school year, school districts, charter schools, and participating private schools can receive 50% reimbursement for additional spending on counselors, social workers, psychologists, and nurses compared to the prior year. The bill adds $16.5 million for 2025-26 and $18 million for 2026-27 to this program. This directly supports schools seeking to expand mental health services for students.
SB 639 allocates $5 million in state funds specifically for veterans' mental health services through the Department of Veterans Affairs. It requires the department to promote veterans' access to community-based mental health care and provide grants to organizations offering these services. The bill also streamlines rulemaking by allowing the department to issue emergency rules for administering these services without usual requirements for emergency rule justification. This directly affects veterans seeking mental health support and community organizations delivering those services. The funding and program structure are established for the 2026 biennium.
