Record attendance at state meeting aimed at addressing mental health and substance use challenges

Comprehensive Community Services available in 66 counties and 3 tribes

More than 400 people attended the biannual meeting of the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) program, a record number. Hosted by the Department Health Services (DHS), the meeting brings together behavioral health professionals and consumers to ensure community services are designed to meet the evolving mental health and substance use challenges facing individuals in Wisconsin. CCS is a program that helps individuals live their best life by providing supports that address their unique needs.

“CCS is about helping people get the services they need, when they need it, to avoid a crisis situation,” said DHS Secretary Linda Seemeyer. “Participants are equal partners in planning, developing, and monitoring services to make sure their care meets their recovery goals.”

Since July 2014, the number of Wisconsin counties offering CCS has more than doubled, from 31 to 66, as a result of Governor Scott Walker’s ongoing investment in expanding and improving Wisconsin’s behavioral health care system. Three tribes also have joined the program. At the end of 2017, 5,848 people were enrolled in CCS, a 200 percent increase over the number of people enrolled at the end of 2014.

CCS is open to people of all ages. The program is intended to assist individuals who are in need of care outside of inpatient settings, but who may have ongoing needs that, if left unaddressed, could result in hospitalizations during times of crisis. CCS serves individuals who have mental health and substance use concerns. The goal is to help individuals meet their basic needs and manage their symptoms using community-based supports. In 2015, the latest data available, only one percent of CCS participants were hospitalized during enrollment and after discharge from the program. Reducing hospitalizations enhances chances for a successful recovery.

Today’s meeting at the Glacier Canyon Conference Center in Lake Delton included workshops on how to engage youth and young adults in treatment, best practices for improving outcomes, and a new tool to help individuals assess their recovery progress.

The next CCS program meeting is scheduled for September. It will focus on how to better serve children and their families using an individualized care planning and management process known as wraparound.