A mental health helpline called “Uplift Wisconsin” is set to shut down Saturday, April 5, following recent federal cuts of over $210 million in health funds across the state, according to President and CEO of Mental Health America of Wisconsin Martina Gollin-Graves.
The funds contributing to these services are part of nearly $12 billion in grants administered during the COVID-19 pandemic to state health departments, all of which were recently canceled, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers released a press release Friday, April 1, announcing Wisconsin joined a lawsuit aiming to stop the Trump Administration from canceling these millions in state federal funds supporting mental and behavioral health services.
Developed three years ago, the “Uplift Wisconsin” warmline is a peer-run helpline created to support individuals in times of crisis, according to Gollin-Graves.
“[The helpline] was made as an effort to decrease the utilization of costly crisis services,” Gollin-Graves said. “So it really is peers offering support in real time over a free telephone line.”
With this line being made for individuals experiencing emotional distress, as well as other issues like substance-use challenges, there is much concern over the dismantling of the helpline, Gollin-Graves said.
Without a resource people can access on their own time, there will likely be an increase in utilization of emergency rooms, psychiatric hospitals and interaction with law enforcement, Gollin-Graves said.
It was a big deal when this resource became available to the Wisconsin community, as it is a way to offer support in real time when people need it, Gollin-Graves said. Before the cuts were made, it was announced that there was $1.2 million in Gov. Evers’ proposed budget for the warm line for two years.
“We currently operate utilizing a $600,000 annual budget, so that $1.2 million was for two years,” Gollin-Graves said. “It is our hope that that’ll still be the case if the Governor’s budget passes and we could bring this service back in the fall.”
Mental Health America of Wisconsin is currently searching for a secure funding source, aiming to bridge the gap between now and the fall, Gollin-Graves said.
Gollin-Graves created a GoFundMe in order to raise funds in support of saving the warmline.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness in Dane County is encouraging advocation for full funding of the 988 Wisconsin Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the state budget, NAMI executive director Jeanne McLellan told The Badger Herald in an email statement.
“We need ongoing state funding for this life-saving service,” McLellan said in the email statement. “We also need the state and counties to continue strengthening mobile crisis response, crisis stabilization facilities and regional crisis urgent care and observation centers.”
It is important for students to be aware of all mental health resources available to them, including crisis support resources, UHS Health Communications Strategist Alison Thumel said in an email statement.
In addition to national crisis lines like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, UHS offers a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Line (608-265-5600 + 9) as a resource for UW students, according to Thumel.
“Mental Health America is still a resource for the community, so people can still call our main line,” Gollin-Graves said. “We aim to meet the community’s needs and things are always changing and so it means we’ll have to change with the need.”
