MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley was appointed to a commission on mental health and wellbeing Monday, Feb. 13.

The group will help create policy and offer recommendations to address the ever-growing mental health crisis, according to a news release.

“In 2021, nearly one in four U.S. adults and one in five adolescents experienced a mental illness,” said NACo President Denise Winfrey. “This commission understands the urgency of the moment. It’s made up of people who, in their own communities, are seeing the effects of the mental health crisis, and have an idea of where we need to start in order to address it.”

The news release goes on to say, over the last decade, Milwaukee County has worked with community leaders, health care industry leaders, and county residents to transform the county’s behavioral health system into a community-based model for behavioral health care. The goal of the redesign is to move away from inpatient and institutional care to create a community-based system that meets people where they are and emphasizing best practices like holistic and trauma informed care, stigma reduction and racial equity.

“Milwaukee County is reinventing the substance abuse and mental health treatment spectrum. Instead of centrally locating a mental health hospital, we are focused on providing public-private partnerships that meet people where they are to ensure the best outcome for the greatest number of people,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “I look forward to bringing the lessons learned here to national discussion. While there are myriad factors that contribute to the epidemic of substance abuse and mental health issues, county governments can ensure that we bring resources to the doorstep of the community so that those struggling with mental health issues can know they don’t have to travel the road to recovery alone.”

For more information about NACo’s Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing, click HERE.