University Mental Health Crisis: Rep. Emerson’s Call for Action and Change

Representative Emerson is urging for a more comprehensive approach to tackling the mental health crisis on UW campuses. While he acknowledges recent legislative efforts, he believes that more needs to be done to make a significant impact on students’ lives. He criticizes the passing of unfunded mandates and emphasizes the importance of providing immediate relief and fostering an environment that prioritizes mental health.

The representative co-authored AB 588 earlier this year, a bill that would provide funding to student mental health services at Universities of Wisconsin. He believes that passing this bill would enable UW campuses to hire more counselors and increase programming to help students in crisis and prevent others from reaching a crisis situation.

Emerson has witnessed campuses rallying around students in need, and he hopes that the legislature will do the same by providing critical funding during this time. He emphasizes that this is a shared responsibility that goes beyond politics and calls for decisive action to create a safer, more supportive environment on Wisconsin campuses.

In addition, Emerson provides resources for those experiencing a mental health crisis, encouraging them to reach out to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988.