The National Juvenile Justice Network has just released The Real Costs and Benefits of Change: Finding Opportunities for Reform During Difficult Fiscal Times, a compilation of reform efforts and strategies that make sense both in terms of producing better outcomes for youth and communities and saving money. Reform efforts such as Youth Aids in Wisconsin, Reclaim Ohio, and Redeploy Illinois are highlighted as strategies in which funding strategies can help promote more successful community-based work with delinquent youth along with tips for policy-makers and advocates about how to promote change when funding is tight. This document lends support to the need for Wisconsin to move forward in closing one of the two male Juvenile Correctional Institutions so that funds going to counties to promote successful community strategies are not further diminished.
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.