DHHS Strategic Plans
2025-2027 DHHS Strategic Plan
Opening Doors to Thriving Communities
DHHS is proud to present its new 2025-2027 DHHS Strategic Plan: Opening Doors to Thriving Communities! The department underwent a new strategic planning process building off the success of the 2020-2025 strategic plan to develop this next iteration of its strategic direction. The work to create the plan was thoughtful and deliberate. The team gathered feedback through 40 sessions with staff and community members. Accomplishments from the 2020-2025 DHHS Strategic Plan: Creating Healthy Communities were shared, and dialogue ensued to discuss what needs to happen next. For the next three years, DHHS will focus on Strategy #1- No Wrong Door and Strategy #2- Collective Impact and System Change, with four focus areas: Housing Justice, Community Safety, Mental Well-Being, and Age-Friendly Communities.
DHHS 2025-2027 STRATEGIC PLAN
In this plan, we chose four systemic focus areas that we believe we can transform for the highest impact on community health and well-being. As we put the person at the center of our work, and focus on the Social Determinants of Health, we will work through No Wrong Door and Collective Impact to increase equity in these four focus areas.
- HOUSING—We have invested $32M in the development of affordable housing units across Milwaukee County; for the first time we own a building for emergency housing, which connects people to services onsite. By 2027, we will work toward housing justice and equity for all by reducing the number of individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity.
- COMMUNITY SAFETY—By 2027, we will see results from our investment in Community Violence Intervention, with a decrease in youth in detention/state run facilities and an overall reduction in community violence.
- MENTAL/EMOTIONAL WELLNESS—By 2027, the redesign of the behavioral healthcare system will be complete and all residents will have improved access to responsive, high quality, community-based supports with expanded services for children, youth, and adults.
- AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES—By 2027, we will improve the quality of life for older adults and people of all ages. Through the AARP Livable Communities model, Milwaukee County’s community hubs will be reimagined and improvements to our lived environment initiated so that residents of all ages can live fully engaged lives.
THE 2025-2027 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Department of Health and Human Services works toward our own mission and contributes to Milwaukee County’s overall vision of becoming the healthiest county in Wisconsin through the following goals and objectives.
Strategic Direction 1: No Wrong Door
Assure prompt, equitable access to quality health and human services.
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Goal 1: All residents have streamlined access to services. |
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Objective 1: Create intentional structure to support Adult and Childrens’ systems of care that streamline access to services across all service areas. |
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Objective 2: Maximize the opportunity presented by the new Coggs building and other facilities, creating a community hub to facilitate no wrong door access to services. |
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Goal 2: Provide high-quality, person-centered services across the lifespan. |
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Objective 1: Assess current services and realign them to meet the population needs for prevention, early intervention, crisis response, and ongoing services for individuals and families from birth to end of life throughout our six service areas. |
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Objective 2: Evaluate and enhance each program’s effectiveness in terms of people served, services offered, and intended outcomes. |
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Goal 3: Build capacity to support personal and professional growth of our staff and partners. |
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Objective 1: Ensure training, capacity building, and development of a talent pipeline that is grounded in an equity mindset and aligned with meeting programming targets. |
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Objective 2: Ensure the DHHS contracting process is equitable and invites diverse partners to meet the community’s needs. |
Strategic Direction 2: Collective Impact/Population Health
Foster an environment that addresses root causes of disparities in community health and wellness, thus advancing equity and reducing the need for crisis intervention.
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Goal 1: Transform our system and influence others to ensure equity for Milwaukee County residents in housing, community safety, mental well-being, and age-friendly communities. |
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Objective 1: Actively work with partners across the housing system to fill the most crucial housing gaps to promote housing stability across the County. |
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Objective 2: Formalize programs and partnerships that champion safety in communities through enhanced trauma response and violence prevention efforts, focusing on our most in-need youth. |
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Objective 3: Engage County departments, education systems, municipal health departments, health systems, faith communities, and nonprofits to collectively bridge gaps in resources to meet mental wellness needs. |
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Objective 4: In collaboration with system partners, support Milwaukee County residents of all ages and abilities to thrive through age-friendly communities. |
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Goal 2: Proactively influence policies, regulations, and funding to meet community needs. |
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Objective 1: Implement a policy advocacy action plan that meets community needs in four key areas: housing, community safety, mental well-being, and age-friendly communities. |
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Objective 2: Engage partnerships with foundations, government, and other funders to achieve our goals. |
A Message From
DHHS Leadership
DHHS Strategic Plan PDFs
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