Waukesha Mental Health Facility Reduces Beds, Plans New Crisis Unit

WAUKESHA, WI — The Waukesha County Mental Health Center has reduced its number of psychiatric in-patient beds, allowing for one wing of the facility to eventually be converted into a crisis stabilization unit, according to a news release from Waukesha County.

As of Monday, the facility now has 16 beds. Previously, the center was listed as a 28-bed Institute for Mental Disease. The changes come as the number of people being admitted has overall risen, but the average length of stay has reduced. The first half of 2022 saw an average daily census of 12, the county said in a news release.

The reduction of in-patient beds will have the county remodeling one building wing as a "Crisis Stabilization Unit," which is set to open in 2024. The new unit will be an ever-present treatment unit for people looking for services when they experience a mental health emergency or substance use disorder crisis, the news release said.

"Recovery-oriented therapeutic interventions in the CSU will help stabilize an individual in crisis. Community behavioral health partners and other care teams will be able to help the individual following their immediate crisis, which will decrease the need for inpatient hospitalization at the Waukesha County Mental Health Center," the news release said.

Since 2020, admissions have risen, but the daily census has averaged less than 16. Advances in care and treatment have reduced the need for longer stays, the news release said, with the average patient staying almost 14 days in 2019 and just 7.6 days in the first half of 2022.

Officials say the change in status, which was set to become effective on Monday, will increase the efficiency of the center. Fewer funds from the county will have to be used as it will now be eligible for reimbursement from the Title 19 Medicaid program, the news release said.