Editorial Column by Representative Oldenburg (R-Viroqua)
The last piece of the budget I’d like to review involves our state’s most valuable asset, our resident’s well-being. In this year’s state budget, significant investments were made into supporting the mental health of farmers, improving Wisconsin’s crisis response system, and ensuring that students across the state have access to mental health resources.
To address mental health issues among farmers, $200,000 dollars has been allocated for the Farmer Mental Health Assistance Program. This program offers telehealth visits with mental health professionals, counseling vouchers for in-person visits, courses on managing the stressors involved with farming, and much more. As a farmer myself, I am aware of all of the stress that accompanies being your own boss and a business owner. While it can be difficult to ask for help, the Farmer Mental Health Assistance Program offers discreet care that is tailored towards each farmer’s specific needs. I hope my fellow farmers will take advantage of this resource and most importantly take care of themselves.
A new pilot program has been initiated to help support Wisconsin’s crisis response system. This program will utilize telemedicine to assist law enforcement officers when de-escalating a mental health crisis. $2 million dollars has been set aside for this new mental health program. This extra support will equip law enforcement with the tools they need to handle situations involving mental health to the best of their ability.
To ensure students across the state have access to mental health care, $30 million dollars will be invested into school mental health initiatives. This funding will be per pupil instead of in the form of grants, which are highly competitive and usually require the assistance of a grant writer. Youth mental health has seen a decline since the end of the pandemic, so it is crucial now more than ever that we give students the support they need.
Mental health affects us all in different ways. Regardless of age or profession, everyone has stressors in their life that can manifest into more serious issues if not dealt with. The pandemic added unforeseen stress to our lives and made it extremely difficult for those already struggling with mental illness, but I am hopeful that these investments can help us learn new ways to cope and move forward. As always, feel free to contact my office at (608) 237-9196 or at Rep.Oldenburg@legis.wisconsin.gov.
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