Workgroups

The bulk of the Mental Health Action Partnership’s (MHAP) work takes place in the workgroups. There are four active workgroups focusing on the following topics: Medicaid, Workforce, Criminal Justice, and Data. There is a Governance workgroup that does not meet regularly but convenes as needed to clarify and further develop guidance on how MHAP operates.

The active workgroups meet monthly via Zoom. If you are interested in joining MHAP and participating in a workgroup, please contact us.

  • The Medicaid Workgroup focuses on inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates, onerous regulations/billing requirements, and other issues relating to Medicaid and mental health. This workgroup aims to develop an understanding of Medicaid’s role in the mental health system in Wisconsin, examine current reimbursement procedures and challenges, and develop recommendations for improving reimbursement rates for mental health providers and other avenues for improving the quality and availability of services.

    The Medicaid Workgroup meets from 3-4 pm on the third Wednesday of the month.

  • The Workforce Workgroup is focused on:

    1. Identifying and changing public policy challenges influencing Wisconsin’s mental health workforce (see identified issue papers on topics such as Peer Recovery Specialists);

    2. Exploring and elevating data regarding the mental health workforce and its gaps to inform new models, public investments, and opportunities for collaboration; and

    3. Serving as a convening forum for any interested health care professionals to share resources, challenges, and/or successes directly impacting the state’s behavioral health workforce.

    The Workforce Workgroup meets from 11 am-12 pm on the second Thursday of the month.

  • The Criminal Justice Workgroup looks at the points where mental health and criminal justice intersect. Goals are to recommend changes in policy and practice that would: 

    1. Reduce justice system involvement for people with mental health conditions, and divert to appropriate care;

    2. Ensure access to mental health care for people incarcerated in county jails and state prisons,

    3. Identify system dysfunctions and recommend improvements.

    Members of the workgroup include justice system professionals, mental health care providers, peers, family members, advocates, academics and interested community members to have frank discussions across groups that are usually siloed.  The workgroup usually meets the third Wednesday of the month from 12:00 - 1:00 pm on Zoom.  

  • The Data Workgroup is focused on developing our collective understanding of what current data sources in Wisconsin describe mental health treatment availability and related health and quality outcomes. We are working to identify the key gaps in data availability (e.g. linkage between types of care delivery systems) that would help us make the case for improvements to the system of mental health care delivery. Our goal is to collaborate with the other MHAP workgroups to better utilize data to advocate for coalition policy priorities.

    The Data Workgroup meets from 3-4 pm on the second Tuesday of the month.

  • The Governance Workgroup proposed a decision-making structure and process for the Partnership. This includes providing general guidelines for workgroups, as well as laying out processes for decision-making within workgroups and for the Partnership as a whole. You can find the Governance Workgroup report here.

Questions? Contact Us