As we hope to gear up to raise the age of adult court jurisdiction to 18 in Wisconsin, this issue is attracting national attention as well. A recent item by CNN.com, titled States Rethink ‘Adult Time for Adult Crime’ highlights progress in Illinois and Connecticut as well as discussions going on in New York and North Carolina. Too often it is a tragic incident that finally garners the attention of the public, just as here in Wisconsin the recent arrest of a 13 year-old for allegedly killing his father has raised concerns about Wisconsin’s laws related to original court jurisdiction.
Mental Health: A Behavioral Health System that Better Supports Counties and Schools
Everyone in Wisconsin, regardless of what county they live in, deserves to live in a community that supports their health and wellness, including access to quality, affordable mental health and substance use disorder services. Governor Evers’ proposed budget expands access to behavioral health care, strengthens schools’ abilities to provide mental health supports to students, invests in peer support, and provides millions in funding to county behavioral health services.
