St. Croix County Board asks state for in-patient psychiatric facility in Western Wisconsin
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
HUDSON — With the closure of Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire in March, the closest in-patient psychiatric facility is 260 miles away at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute.
At the June 4 meeting, the St. Croix Board unanimously passed a resolution asking the Wisconsin Legislature to prioritize and fast track mental health funding and to allocate resources specifically for the expansion and enhancement of in-patient psychiatric care facilities and services in Western Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Legislature had previously allocated $15 million for Sacred Heart Hospital to expand psychiatric care services, but the Hospital Sisters Health System never claimed the funds.
After the closure of HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls, along with 19 Prevea Clinics in Western Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Legislature reallocated the $15 million to improve emergency services in Western Wisconsin.
There are now disagreements among the Legislature, state agencies, and the governor about how those funds should be spent.
Greg Tellijohn, county board supervisor, said that a mental health facility “is desperately needed in this region,” and that he would like to see surrounding counties pass a similar resolution.
Scott Counter, county board supervisor, said he strongly supported a psychiatric facility in western Wisconsin because St. Croix County is now bringing people to the other side of the state for in-patient mental health services.
This area of the state needs a more regionally based facility so that family and friends can participate in the care of people who are in an in-patient facility, he said.
Friends and family cannot help the person who is admitted for in-patient care when the mental health patient is hospitalized on the other side of the state, Counter said.
“This is real important to us. It’s important to our region,” he said, adding that it is not only important to St. Croix County, but it also is important for the northwest region of the state.
Having a localized facility would be a great asset, Counter said.
The state must take action in a relatively short period of time and get this underway now, he said.
According to the resolution, “the lack of sufficient in-patient psychiatric care options in Western Wisconsin results in individuals having to travel long distances to access treatment, causing undue stress and barriers to care, in addition to being hours away from friends and family who could be support for the individual in need.”
Costs
In 2022, St. Croix County spent approximately $800,000 for emergency placement of adults who were experiencing a behavioral health crisis, according to the resolution.
Law-enforcement spent an estimated $44,000 in 2022 on deputy time and other transportation costs transporting people who needed care at in-patient facilities, which prevented those deputies from responding to other public safety issues.
In 2023, the county placed more than 38 people, including both juveniles and adults, at Winnebago Mental Health Institute, with a cost to the county of $707,236. That amount does not include what St. Croix County spent on emergency placements at other in-patient psychiatric facilities in Wisconsin, according to the resolution.
The time spent by local law-enforcement agencies and/or contract companies to transport people to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute is a separate expense for the law-enforcement agencies. Those expenses have increased due to the closure of Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire in March, the resolution states.
St. Croix County
Rick Ottino, county board supervisor, asked if the inpatient psychiatric facility would strictly be a county venture.
Pierce County has expressed interest along with other counties in the area, Tellijohn said.
Paul Berning, county board supervisor, said the resolution should include specific asks, such as placing the facility in Saint Croix County or along the I-94 corridor.
The facility should be along the I-94 if corridor if it is not in St. Croix County and it should be close to the intersection of another corridor, he said.
The facility should either be in Saint Croix County or in Western Wisconsin, but not both. It should be located somewhere in the west central part of the state, said Dave Ostness, county board supervisor.
Ottino said he agreed.
The cost to transport is $1500, and the county should not put a demand on where the facility is located. It should be located in the region, he said.
Daniel Hansen, county board supervisor, said that he agreed as well and that a broad spectrum of solutions is needed.
Jerry Van Someren, county board supervisor, said he agreed with Berning and that it does not hurt to ask.
St. Croix County has the fastest growing population, or is among the fastest growing counties, so it would make sense to put the mental health facility here in St. Croix County, he said.
The state knows that an in-patient psychiatric care facility is needed, and if St. Croix County asks the state to move faster, then why not ask for the facility to be located in St. Croix County, said Ryan Sherley, county board supervisor.
Saint Croix County will pass Eau Claire County for population by 2030, Counter said.
Ken Witt, county administrator, noted that St. Croix County’s population would exceed Eau Claire County perhaps closer to 2040.
Saint Croix County is experiencing growth from the Twin Cities area, and based on the percentage of population, the more the county grows, the more the need will increase for an in-patient psychiatric care facility, Counter said.
Amendment
Berning offered an amendment to the resolution pertaining to building a regional psychiatric facility in St. Croix County or along the I-94 corridor.
The amendment was approved on a vote of 17 “yes” to two “no” votes.
Ottino and Bob Long, chair of the St. Croix County Board, voted “no” on the amendment.
The St. Croix County Board voted unanimously to approve the resolution as amended.
Saint Croix county will send a copy of the resolution to Governor Tony Evers, to state legislators representing Western Wisconsin, to the Wisconsin Counties Association, and to other appropriate stakeholders to inform them of the urgent need for increased funding for in-patient psychiatric care in Western Wisconsin.
