Shot:
“‘The common thread we see in many of these cases is a failure in the system to help someone who is suffering from mental illness,’ Walker said.” [Associated Press, 8/27/15]
Chaser:
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: “The county’s Mental Health Complex has been so badly managed under [Scott Walker’s] watch that vulnerable people have been needlessly victimized.” “Still, Walker’s record as county executive is not unblemished. The county’s Mental Health Complex has been so badly managed under his watch that vulnerable people have been needlessly victimized. His budgets have failed to meet the need, even as overtime salaries for some complex employees boggle the imagination.” [Journal-Sentinel’s endorsement of Scott Walker, 10/24/10]
Scott Walker was one of several Milwaukee County officials that “eliminated more than 200 mental health complex jobs, one in five.” “State and county support hasn’t kept pace with growth in health care costs, adding pressure to cut staff and programs. Since 2001, county elected officials including Walker, former County Executive Tom Ament and the County Board have eliminated more than 200 mental health complex jobs, one in five. Some of those were maintenance and food service jobs. The board last year blocked an effort by Walker to trim 50 additional direct care jobs at the complex.” [Journal-Sentinel, 8/22/10]
Scott Walker cut $593,000 for mental health case managers and cut $367,000 and nine jobs for the Mental Health Complex’s day treatment program. “As advertised, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker used his veto Monday to cut $10 million in spending the County Board added to his 2010 budget and to thwart the County Board’s efforts to kill several privatization measures. He also used vetoes to revive $1 an hour lakefront parking meters, add more furlough days for county workers next year, cut funding for day treatment mental health services and eliminate 39 parks worker jobs. […] Social services: Cut $593,000 for mental health case managers and shift to more outsourcing. Cut $367,000 and nine jobs for the Mental Health Complex’s day treatment program. Cut a short-term assistance program for disabled persons, for a savings of $116,000.” [Journal-Sentinel, 11/16/09]
- Scott Walker’s cuts to mental health services were overridden by the county board. “[County Board] Supervisors also overrode Walker vetoes that would have cut mental health services; toppled his plan to install $1-an-hour parking meters on the lakefront; and resisted his move to cut 39 park worker jobs.” [Journal-Sentinel, 11/18/09]
Scott Walker proposed a $500,000 cut to Milwaukee County’s budget for adult mental health services that was overridden by the county board. “A $1 million plan to borrow for construction of housing units for people with mental illness advanced Thursday through the Milwaukee County Board’s Finance Committee. […] Also Thursday, the [Milwaukee County Board’s Finance Committee] restored half of a Walker proposed $500,000 cut in the county’s $15.6 million budget for adult mental health services provided through various contract agencies.” [Journal-Sentinel, 10/27/06]
Scott Walker’s 2004 budget trimmed or privatized “staffing in mental health and disability programs.” “Cutting deeper his second time around, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker on Thursday unveiled a 2004 budget that continues parks layoffs, trims or privatizes staffing in mental health and disability programs, cuts bus routes and raises fares, and dramatically reduces support for cultural and arts institutions. […] The slow move away from county-provided services for the severely mentally ill would accelerate under several privatization initiatives. Several job eliminations chip away at outpatient programs at the county Mental Health Complex.” [Journal-Sentinel, 9/19/03]
Scott Walker opposed a request for $92.25 million in federal stimulus money to construct a new mental health complex in Milwaukee. “Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker opposes the request by three county supervisors for $92.25 million in federal stimulus money to construct a new mental health complex.” [Daily Reporter, 1/19/09]