GRAND CHUTE, WI (WTAQ) – Wisconsin is using $5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to expand access to telehealth services.
Governor Tony Evers announced the plan during a stop in Grand Chute on Wednesday.
“Telehealth was hardly a thing pre-pandemic. We’ve been able to expand it, and this is another expansion which we feel is really important for our kids and for others out there struggling with mental health and behavioral issues,” Evers said. “If we want to serve the people in the state of Wisconsin that have behavioral or mental health issues, we are going to have to use telehealth. So yes, I think it will be even a larger ‘thing’ going forward.”
“Together we will use these funds to improve access to child psychiatrist help providers expand their telehealth access and provide mental health services to underserved populations,” said Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary, Deb Standridge.
Under the plan, the state Department of Health Services will use $2.5 million of the money to create grants for medical providers. Application information is available online.
Partnership Community Health Center CEO Kristene Stacker says it’s vital for some populations.
“A lot of people have barriers to services, particularly transportation. They [also] struggle with child care or language, so having a telehealth option is really critical to meet the needs of patients,” Stacker told WTAQ News. “In a world where technology is very prominent in our young people it is actually a great modality for providing children’s behavioral health care…Really for a lot of appointments, it’s not necessary for a person to come in. Certainly other conditions require in-person visits, but there are a lot of things that is available to our patients through telehealth visits.”
“Health care should not be a privilege only afforded to the healthy and wealthy,” Evers added. “We’re really glad to be making this investment so that we will build a healthier Wisconsin for tomorrow.”
The other half of the money will go to health care providers to establish neighborhood access points for those who do not have reliable high-speed internet access at home.
“Mental health service providers are at a premium in the state. You just can’t find them,” Evers said. “Not only for our kids, but folks that just can’t afford Internet or don’t have access to it. The idea that they’ll be able to be at a place where internet is available and those services are available through the telehealth process.”
Potential locations include food pantries, homeless shelters, libraries, long-term care facilities, community centers and schools. Application information for these grants is also available online.
The funds come from the American Rescue Plan Act.
