Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services

Milwaukee County

Welcome to Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County’s goal is to enrich your life by providing essential services that meet your needs and those of your family, neighbors, co-workers and friends.

Our County

Milwaukee County's mission is to provide high-quality, responsive services that enhance self-sufficiency, personal safety, economic opportunity and quality of life for its entire people.

Residents

Milwaukee County is home to over 950,000 people living in one of 19 communities, which range in size from the City of Milwaukee, with 595,000 residents, to the Village of River Hills, with roughly 1,600 residents.

Businesses

Still a manufacturing stronghold, the region features 16 Fortune 1000 companies and thousands of others in the financial services, medical device, hospitality and retailing industries.

News & Events

Find information about things to do and happenings in Milwaukee County.

Department of Health and Human Services

Together, Creating Healthy Communities

Department of Health & Human Services

Behavioral Health

Providing Connections That Support Recovery

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Energy Assistance

Delivering Energy Assistance and Education

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Youth & Family Services

Providing Youth and Families With Supervision and Support in Pursuing a Pro-social Future

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Disabilities Services

Connecting Individuals With Disabilities to Resources That Promote Independence and Inclusion

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Housing

Supporting Individuals With Accessing and Maintaining Housing

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About DHHS

Leading Health and Human Services Through Dedication and Community Connection

DHHS in the News

Material featuring DHHS experts, projects and messages.

With Lincoln Hills Closure Delayed, Evers Planning To Add Staff at Troubled Prison

by: Corri Hess - Wisconsin Public Radio

Gov. Tony Evers' budget proposal will include bonding to replace the state's troubled juvenile prisons Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake, but the facilities won’t close their doors by 2021 as originally expected...

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2/6

Leaders Criticize Evers' Suggestion to Delay Closing Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Youth Prisons

by: Allison Dikanovic - Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Local advocates pushing for youth justice reform in Wisconsin expressed opposition to Gov. Tony Evers’ suggestion that it may take up to two years longer to close youth prisons Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls...

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2/2

Concerns Remain Over Regional Facilities Expected to Replace Wisconsin's Two Juvenile Facilities

by: LaToya Dennis - WUWM

New Gov. Tony Evers recently toured the troubled juvenile correctional facilities in northern Wisconsin — Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls. While the facilities are slated for closure in 2021, problems remain...

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2/1

Milwaukee County Plans Youth-secured Residential Center on City's Northwest Side

by: Lauren Anderson - BizTimes

Milwaukee County officials are planning to build a new secured residential center on Milwaukee’s northwest side to house non-serious juvenile offenders when the state’s juvenile correctional facilities Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake close in 2021...

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1/29

Milwaukee County Reveals Potential Locations for Youth Secure Residential Facility

by: Allison Dikanovic - Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Milwaukee County will open a new secure residential facility for youth on the far northwest side of the city in the Havenwoods neighborhood after Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake close in 2021...

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1/28

Milwaukee County Prepares for Closure of Lincoln Hills

by: Corri Hess - Wisconsin Public Radio

When Wisconsin's troubled youth prison, Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake, closes in 2021, the youth from Milwaukee County currently living at the facilities will be moved to a new secured residential care center closer to home...

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1/24

"Housing First" Program Utilizes Regional Cooperation to Improve Milwaukee's Homeless Situation

by: Staff - Milwaukee Independent

Following extensive regional cooperation to address the health, safety and housing needs of homeless individuals at outdoor encampments, Milwaukee County, the City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin have made enormous progress in connecting individuals to permanent, supportive housing...

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1/22

'Shine A Light on Addiction Week' Brings Awareness to Substance Abuse in Milwaukee

by: Real Milwaukee - Fox6 News

Nzinga Khalid from Milwaukee County Health & Human Services stopped by the Real Milwaukee studios on Monday, Jan. 21 to discuss substance abuse awareness and prevention in Milwaukee County. "Shine A Light on Addiction Week" is Jan. 22 through Jan. 27, and Khalid was sporting red during her appearance to highlight HHS's "Light and Unite Red" campaign...

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1/21

Your Kids May Be Hiding Drug Paraphernalia in Plain Sight

by: Melinda Davenport - WISN 12 News

As part of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division has kicked off a campaign called "Light and Unite Red." One aspect of the campaign helps parents identify drug use warning signs in their kids' bedrooms...

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1/21

Milwaukee County Opens New Corrections Facility, First in State to Use Therapy-based Treatment Model

by: Lauren Winfrey - Today's TMJ4 News

Traditionally, young people who commit crimes are locked up and removed from their communities, but Milwaukee County is trying to change that with the opening of the Bakari Center.

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1/11

Police Officers Work to Help Occupants of Homeless Encampments

by: Carly Wolf - Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

On a grey cloudy morning in Milwaukee, a bright pink Barbie tent stuck out among the sea of tents below the north end of the 6th Street Bridge. It was a newer addition to the tent encampment on North 6th and West Clybourn streets that has been occupied by a group of Milwaukee’s homeless...

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1/9

Milwaukee County's CORE Program Seeks to Empower Youth

by: Jack Kelly - Wisconsin Health News

Milwaukee County is working to redesign its mental healthcare system and provide more community supports to those who need help...

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1/4

Bakari Center Aims to Keep Justice-involved Youth Close to Home, Reduce Recidivism

by: Allison Dikanovic - Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Bakari is the Swahili word for “promising.” Those who have been working for more than a year to bring the Bakari Center to life hope the name proves to be appropriate for the new Milwaukee County residential treatment facility for youth.

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12/18

New Report Outlines Redesigned Milwaukee County Psychiatric Crisis Services

by: Lauren Anderson - BizTimes

As the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division continues to move services off its aging, over-sized Wauwatosa campus and into community-based settings, a new report released Thursday outlines plans for a redesign of the county’s psychiatric crisis service system...

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12/13

Milwaukee Residents Voice Ideas for Housing Juvenile Offenders

by: Marti Mikkelson - WUWM

Several dozen people turned out Wednesday night to discuss how Milwaukee County will house juveniles once the troubled Lincoln Hills facility closes in two years.

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12/13

Juvenile Justice Advocates Garner Community Input to Improve Outcomes for Youth Offenders

by: Allison Dikanovic - Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Lunch tables at North Division High School were filled as about 60 people gathered to discuss opportunities for juvenile justice reform in light of state legislation that will close Wisconsin’s youth prisons.

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9/25

What DHHS Has Accomplished for Our Community

2017 DHHS Annual Report

In 2017, DHHS...

Cut 30-day readmissions to our inpatient behavioral health hospital by nearly half since 2010
Reduced overall homelessness by about 40%
Reduced admissions to our youth detention center by nearly 20%
Created more than $4 million in economic impact through our Disability Benefits Specialist program
Processed 67,000 applications for energy assistance, a program record

2016 DHHS Annual Report

In 2016, DHHS...

Created trauma response teams (with MPD) to respond to youth who have witnessed violence or been exposed to trauma
Reduced chronic homelessness by 77% countywide
Reduced the number of youth sent to Lincoln Hills/Copper Lake prisons by almost 57%
Connected more than 40 young adults with disabilities with employment after leaving high school

2015 DHHS Annual Report

In 2015, DHHS...

Launched our initiative to end chronic homelessness in Milwaukee County in three years
Reduced reliance on secure youth detention facilities by 25%
Launched an initiative to help youth with disabilities achieve employment when finishing high school
Created a community-based care system for those with long-term behavioral health needs

2014 DHHS Annual Report

In 2014, DHHS...

Reduced emergency psychiatric admissions by 30%
Reduced youth justice referrals by police by more than 20%
Created crisis response teams for individuals with co-occurring intellectual/developmental disabilities
Created a harm-reduction housing model for individuals with alcohol and other drug abuse issues

2013 DHHS Annual Report

In 2013, DHHS...

Reduced psychiatric inpatient admissions by 30%
Added 40 more scattered-site, supportive housing units including case management and peer support services
Graduated its first class of youth from the Milwaukee County Accountability Program
Facilitated nearly $1 million in assistance and value to adults and children with disabilities

2012 DHHS Annual Report

In 2012, DHHS...

Launched a new electronic health records system
Redesigned Emergency Medical Services training
Eliminated a 500-person waiting list for children with disabilities
Started a youth justice reform initiative with the Annie E. Casey Foundation
Received the HUD "Turning the Ocean Liner Around" award for improving CDBG and HOME programs

Awards and Recognition

Awards

2017

Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office Eisenberg Award - Wraparound Milwaukee
Public Relations Society of America Paragon Award of Disctinction - DHHS "Do the Right Thing" Employee Engagement Campaign
MarCom Awards Platinum Award - Milwaukee County DHHS Behavioral Health Division Nurse Recruitment Campaign

2016

Wisconsin Center for Performance Excellence Wisconsin Forward Award with Commitment and Challenger Recognitions - Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services
American Public Human Services Association National Staff Development and Training Quality Award - Wraparound Milwaukee
Public Relations Society of America Paragon Award of Excellence - Milwaukee County DHHS Energy Assistance Program (Best-of-Show finalist)

Recognition

2017

Wisconsin Psychiatric Association elects Milwaukee County DHHS Behavioral Health Division staff to Executive Council
Milwaukee Police Department Merit Award Certificate of Appreciation - Milwaukee County DHHS Behavioral Health Division Mobile Urgent Treatment Team

What's Going On at DHHS

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Who do I contact for information on FoodShare, BadgerCare, Medicaid (T19), Caretaker Supplement or Wisconsin Shares (Child Care)?

Call (800) 291-2002. To determine if you may qualify for these programs, visit www.access.wisconsin.gov. If you need to speak to someone about your case, contact the Call Center (888) 947-6583. The verification fax number is (414) 438-4580.

How do I report possible child abuse and/or neglect?

To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call (414) 220-7233. This number is available 24-hours a day. The State of Wisconsin administers the Child Welfare Program.

What is the Mental Health Crisis Line?

To talk to a counselor regarding a critical mental health issue, call (414) 257-7222, 24-hours a day.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

1220 W. Vliet St.

Suite 301

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53205

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How We Help

Our Vision

Together, creating healthy communities.

Our Mission

Empowering safe, healthy, meaningful lives.

Our Values

Partnership, Respect, Integrity,

Diversity, Excellence

Milwaukee County

ACCESS

Empowering People. Strengthening Community.

Established in 1835, Milwaukee County is home to more than 950,000 residents and is the hub of the 37th largest regional economy in the United States.
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