After more than a century of serving vulnerable residents, Wisconsin Community Services is taking a major step to improve care for people with severe mental needs by reimagining the space where it happens.
WCS, which is primarily supported through government funding, has launched its first capital campaign, aiming to raise $5 million to revamp the second floor of its Wisconsin Avenue Campus and overhaul its community-based mental health programs.
“We’ve been around for over 100 years and have never done a campaign like this,” said Clarence Johnson, president and CEO of WCS. “But this is what it takes to evolve and meet today’s needs.”
Staff say the need for change is obvious.
Susan Collyard, senior program director at WCS, said changes made over time have led to things being disjointed.
“Teams are split up, supervisors aren’t near each other, and we’re crammed into spaces that just don’t work anymore,” she said.
That disconnect shows up in everyday operations. Collyard described a maze-like layout where the same team can be split across opposite ends of the building, empty offices sit unused, and essential supplies are stored wherever there is room.
“We serve people who often rely on us for basic needs,” she said. “So we have tons of food, clothes and supplies, but no real place to put it.”
An essential service
WCS opened in 1912 and was originally called Society of the Friendless before becoming Wisconsin Correctional Services in 1966. The organization focused on reentry services for people leaving incarceration.
About 20 years ago, the group broadened its mission and rebranded to reflect the wider range of programs and services that include mental health, housing and substance-use services. WCS serves more than 17,000 people annually.
One of its most critical roles is serving those with complex mental health conditions, many of whom rely on public funding and have limited access to private care.
“These individuals often live on less than $10,000 a year,” Johnson said. “Without programs like ours, many wouldn’t be able to live independently in the community.”
Programs housed on the second floor serve about 400 people at any given time, offering services such as medication management, psychiatric care and housing support. For some, it also provides a sense of stability and connection.
“Some people come here every day,” said Rhonda Plotkin, major gift officer for WCS. “They might shower, do laundry, see their care team and spend time with others. It might be the highlight of their day.”
The Wisconsin Avenue Campus is located at 3732 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Space matters
Collyard said the current space often works against the organization’s goals.
The waiting area, for example, is small and quickly overcrowded.
“We have seating for about six people in one area, and we exceed that almost immediately,” she said. “People are on top of each other. For some clients, that can be really overwhelming.”
Privacy is another concern. Sometimes clients meet with care providers in shared spaces where conversations can be overheard.
The layout also complicates care for clients with specific needs, including those dealing with infestations like bed bugs, which is an ongoing challenge in community-based care settings.
Right now, those clients are often limited to a small designated area, with few appropriate spaces for meetings or group services.
“We’ve had to make it work with rooms that weren’t designed for that,” Collyard said. “It works, but it’s far from ideal.”
The proposed redesign would create a more cohesive, welcoming environment with improved access to services in one location and reduce barriers for clients that may struggle to travel between sites.
Plans include:
- A larger, centralized waiting area to reduce crowding
- Private meeting rooms for case managers, nurses and psychiatric care
- Dedicated spaces for clients with specific health or safety needs
- Flexible group rooms that can expand or divide based on need
- Improved layout to keep teams together and streamline services
“We want a space that promotes calm, dignity and healing,” Johnson said. “Right now, we’re not there.”
Impact on the community
WCS leaders say their work contributes to community safety and well-being by helping people stabilize their mental health, maintain housing and avoid hospitalization or incarceration.
“When people have the support they need, it reduces the crisis,” Johnson said. “That’s better for everyone.”
Collyard said the people WCS serves just deserve a nice space.
“These are people who are often overlooked,” she said. “They don’t have resources, they don’t have strong support systems, and for many of them, we are that support system.”
Some clients have been with WCS for decades.
“We’re their community,” Collyard said. “They should have a space that reflects that, a place where they can come in, take a breath and feel like they belong.”
How to help
While financial contributions are key to the campaign, WCS leaders say there are other ways residents can get involved, like donating needed items, sharing information or simply helping reduce the stigma around mental health.
“Awareness is huge,” Plotkin said. “So many people have loved ones who are struggling and don’t know where to turn.”
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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