Medicaid is the largest payer for mental health and addiction treatment services in Wisconsin and across the nation. Medicaid helps Wisconsinites get vital services—like counseling and medication—to stay healthy. But this week the U.S. House of Representatives took its first step on proposed efforts to cut more than $715 billion from Medicaid over the next 10 years—which would be the largest Medicaid cut in the health program’s 60 year history. The Congressional Budget Office’s initial estimate on this proposal shows it would result in nearly 8 million children, adults with low incomes, seniors, and people with disabilities losing health coverage.
Today, the Wisconsin Medicaid Coalition released a fact sheet showing how Medicaid supports critical services for mental health and substance use care in Wisconsin. More than one in three non-elderly adults enrolled in Medicaid have a diagnosed mental illness, and nearly 90,000 Medicaid enrollees received treatment for a substance use disorder.
Jordan Rozeske, Executive Director of FLYY knows Medicaid is key to addressing mental health and substance use needs: “The proposed cuts to Medicaid are a devastating setback for individuals who depend on our program for essential mental health services. Many people we support face significant mental health challenges or disabilities that prevent them from working, and additional barriers or work requirements will only deepen their struggles. These cuts will deprive our community’s most vulnerable members of the crucial support needed to lead meaningful, stable lives.”
Listening Session & Community Conversation
Tuesday, May 20th from 3:30-4:30
Foundations Health and Wholeness
1061 W. Mason St. in Green Bay
This event is a critical opportunity for participants and media to hear about the real-world impact of Medicaid on mental health and substance use services & why Congress’s proposed cuts are a threat to these VITAL services. Hear directly from a panel of 4 – 5 speakers including clinic directors, family members, foster parents, and school social workers:
● Jean Keim is a retired family nurse practitioner. She has been a member of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) for 10 years, teaching NAMI’s Family to Family course and facilitating a support group. Medicaid has been a lifeline for a relative who is diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder.
● Denise McGinnis, is a foster parent in Brown County to adolescents and if Medicaid sources are cut, resources available for the children she serves will be limited. The children she fosters require additional services/supports so they can remain in the least restrictive environment possible.
● Katie Rappel is the Clinical Director with Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin. Katie oversees vital programs including Day Treatment, Outpatient Clinics & Women’s Recovery Journey, The individuals and families served by Family Services have Medicaid leading her to advocate that all people deserve access to mental health care.
● Jenny Younk is a Director with Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin and oversees the Crisis Center, which provides crisis services to 16 counties. Currently, Jenny sees the direct benefit of Medicaid for those in need of crisis response as she submits Medicaid billing info to county human services.
● Lindsay Reckelberg is a current school social worker in the Denmark School District and board member for the WI School Social Workers Association who knows how important Medicaid funding is to helping secure necessary, and often the only, mental health and other services for WI kids in the school environment.
Following the panel, participate in a Community Conversation to help participants craft their story about Medicaid’s importance to them and/or their work and take action in the moment with phone calls or emails to Congress imploring them, “Hands Off Medicaid!”
This event is being organized by the Wisconsin Medicaid Coalition. The Coalition has approximately 300 participants from more than 150 entities, all concerned about the impact of major changes to Medicaid being considered at the federal level.
