AHW Invests in Mental Health Initiatives Across Wisconsin

In recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we're highlighting innovative efforts addressing critical mental health challenges throughout Wisconsin. These include both strategic funding initiatives and research projects supported by the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW), all taking action to improve mental health outcomes and reduce disparities in our communities.

Mental health services, interventions, and treatments are increasingly in demand across our state and the nation. The situation is especially concerning for Wisconsin's youth, with nearly 20% of high school students reporting serious thoughts of suicide.

Critical Mental Health Challenges in Wisconsin

Rural areas face significant challenges due to limited access to high-quality mental health resources. In some regions, residents live up to 60 miles from the nearest services, creating substantial barriers to care. This is particularly true for communities that include tribal reservations, which often face higher poverty rates and lower health insurance coverage than the state average.

Meanwhile, in Milwaukee's Southside Latino community, one in four residents experiences housing insecurity, and one in five reports food insecurity and emotional abuse at home.

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified these issues, straining an already challenged mental health system. Milwaukee County faces a critical children's mental health crisis, with lengthy waits for in-person therapy as well as autism evaluations.

AHW's Childhood Behavioral Health Landmark Initiative

In June 2024, AHW announced a landmark $50 million investment across three key health initiatives, including childhood behavioral health. This commitment comes at a crucial time, as national health agencies have declared a state of emergency in child behavioral health. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals alarming statistics: nearly 60% of teen girls have experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness, and 42% of high school students reported feeling so sad or hopeless that they stopped participating in regular activities.

On February 20, 2025, AHW hosted the Advancing Childhood Behavioral Health Summit at Thrive On King in Milwaukee, bringing together nearly 100 academic leaders, community partners, and mental health professionals. The event featured renowned mental health policy expert Benjamin Miller, PsyD, who described accessing mental health care as navigating both a "labyrinth" and a "lottery." Through collaborative exercises and discussions, participants mapped existing resources, envisioned a Wisconsin without childhood mental health barriers, and identified priorities for future investment.

The Childhood Behavioral Health Initiative will support evidence-based strategies that offer promise for addressing this growing challenge, building on lessons learned through previous AHW mental health programming. This coordinated effort marks the beginning of a transformative approach to youth mental wellness across Wisconsin, aligning with AHW's mission to advance health throughout the state.

Mental Health Initiatives Funded by AHW in 2025

AHW has recently invested in several innovative initiatives aimed at addressing the mental health crisis across the state. These initiatives range from improving crisis response systems to developing community-based solutions that meet the unique needs of diverse populations.

Enhancing Rural Crisis Response Through Data Integration

The large distances between rural residents and mental health services and resources in Wisconsin's northern counties create unique challenges during mental health crises. In Ashland and Bayfield Counties, the CAtCH Project has already demonstrated success, cutting emergency detentions almost in half, from 61 to 34.

To build on this success, NorthLakes Community Clinic is collaborating with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), primary academic partner Fabrice Jotterand, PhD (Institute for Health and Equity), on a technological innovation: integrating critical participant information directly into law enforcement information systems. Supported by a $50,000 AHW Seed Grant, this technological advancement will eliminate a significant barrier—the inability to quickly access important information during crises.

By developing streamlined workflows and comprehensive training materials, the team aims to create a model that could transform crisis response in rural communities throughout the state.

Community-Led Mental Health Transformation on Milwaukee's Southside

Milwaukee's Southside deals with the complicated combination of cultural barriers, economic challenges, and linguistic issues affecting mental health access for its residents. COVID-19 has only intensified challenges facing the city's largest Spanish-speaking community.

A groundbreaking collaboration between Saint Adalbert Congregation and MCW primary academic partner, Courtney Barry, PsyD, MS (Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine), will address these challenges through the culturally-tailored Cultivating Resilience program. This $74,026 AHW-funded project takes an innovative bottom-up approach, establishing both youth and adult advisory boards to identify community priorities while training local community members as health workers and facilitators.

By housing these services within a trusted community, the program aims to overcome traditional barriers to mental health support through a sustainable, peer-led model.

Milwaukee County Community Mental Health Navigation Initiative

The waiting period for children's mental health services in Milwaukee County represents a critical gap during formative developmental years. With some families waiting up to a year for essential services, the need for immediate interim resources has never been more urgent.

Mental Health America of Wisconsin has created a solution focused on empowering families during these extended waiting periods. Working alongside MCW primary academic partner Leslie Ruffalo, PhD, MS (Family Medicine), the organization will leverage $73,105 in AHW funding to expand its Navigation Initiative specifically for families with young children from birth to age five.

The centerpiece of this effort will be a comprehensive digital platform offering culturally relevant resources, educational materials, and support options. This initiative stands out for its dual focus on both traditional mental health resources and alternative support approaches, creating a bridge that helps families build resilience while waiting for clinical services.

Finding Peace for Youth Suicide Loss Survivors

The ripple effects of suicide touch hundreds of lives for each death. With 929 suicide deaths in Wisconsin during 2022 alone, more than 125,000 Wisconsinites experienced the trauma of suicide loss, many of them children and teenagers without important support resources.

An MCW research team led by principal investigator Sara Kohlbeck, PhD, MPH (Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine), is addressing this critical gap through an innovative support model tailored specifically for young suicide loss survivors. This $49,517 AHW-funded project will pilot a unique book club format support group led by trained facilitators.

Unlike standard grief programming that groups different types of loss, this specialized curriculum acknowledges the unique challenges of suicide bereavement, including stigma, guilt, and increased risk of suicidal thoughts. The program represents a first step toward ensuring appropriate support for all youth affected by suicide.

Strengthening Wisconsin's Behavioral Healthcare Through Peer Recovery Coach Training

Arbor Place, Inc. is working toward addressing mental health workforce challenges in Wisconsin through a comprehensive training initiative developed in conjunction with MCW primary academic partner, Felice Borisy-Rudin, JD, PhD (Pharmacology and Toxicology). With $67,388 in AHW funding, this six-month program will prepare peer recovery coaches with specialized skills for serving their communities. 

What makes this effort unique is its emphasis on continuous support throughout the recovery journey and specialized training in the evidence-based Circle of Security program for coaches working with parents. This holistic approach aims to transform Wisconsin's behavioral healthcare landscape by establishing a new standard of care where recovery support begins at treatment entry and continues seamlessly through post-discharge care.

Advancing Wisconsin Mental Health Initiatives

AHW is proud to support these innovative projects aimed at improving mental health outcomes throughout the state. By addressing diverse needs across urban and rural areas, these initiatives are making meaningful strides in improving mental health care accessibility and effectiveness.

These projects represent a significant investment in Wisconsin's mental health landscape, developing new approaches to care delivery and community that have the potential to create lasting improvements in statewide health outcomes.

To learn more about these and other funded projects addressing mental health in Wisconsin, visit our Funded Projects page.