MILWAUKEE — A few local Milwaukee organizations are getting a boost from federal funds to improve access to mental health resources.
County Executive David Crowley signed a resolution Tuesday morning, allocating more than $600,000 in American Rescue Plan Act Funds (ARPA) to support mental health services in the city.
The Walkers Point Youth and Family Center is receiving more than $200,000 of that money. Their mission is to provide a space for young people to resolve conflicts and overcome challenges like homelessness.
In addition, the resolution allocates more than $400,000 to City on a Hill to expand responsive behavioral health services.
“We were very excited obviously,” Megan O’Halloran, director of communications for Walkers Point Youth and Family Center, said.
“It allows us to meet young people where they are and provide them tools so they don’t have to be here in the first place.”
The center offers free confidential housing, emergency shelter, and housing to youth in need. With only two counselors though, they at times, have a waitlist.
“I’m pretty busy because I’m bilingual and I take on a lot of our Spanish-speaking clients,” Dr. Lauren Mascari, a bilingual therapist at the center, said.
With the money, the center will add two new licensed professional counselors. One of the roles will be a bilingual position. The other role will focus on LGBTQ+ programming.
“It’s really important that we are hiring culturally and linguistically competent providers so that were able to work with young people and their whole family,” O’Halloran said.
Those new roles will help to meet the community where they are, whether at home or in community spaces like the Milwaukee Christian Center.
“It’s that type of collaboration that strengthens the community, and helps young people thrive, not just survive,” O’Halloran explained.
O’Halloran said that mental health issues, nationally and locally, rose dramatically during the pandemic.
“When young people were coming to us specifically during the height of the pandemic, they were coming with more acute needs,” O’Halloran stated.
The pandemic caused limited services though.
“With COVID, it really shifted a ton. We mostly based our services here at the center, virtual, or via telephone,” Dr. Mascari said.
The resolution aims to address disparities in access to mental health care, and especially support residents in poverty and communities of color.
The Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center is accepting applications for the two new licensed counselor roles.
For more information on Walker's Point Youth and Family Center, click here.
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