Removing some of the red tape around mental healthcare could help you get the care you need. The Senate Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families held a public hearing on Senate Bill 515 on Tuesday, which lists Rep. Joel Kitchens as one of 10 Assembly co-sponsors of the bill. If signed into law, it would allow out-of-state providers to practice in Wisconsin through telehealth without getting a separate license from the state. It was previously allowed during the pandemic as long as they registered with the state. The practice was discontinued when the state of emergency was lifted a month later. The hope is that allowing out-of-state providers to offer their services would address more of the mental health needs in the state. According to the United Way of Door County, there is one mental health provider for every 440 Wisconsin residents, which is worse than the 1:350 ratio for the national average. It is even worse in Door County, where there is one mental health provider for every 720 residents. Kitchens says it is one way they can start addressing the nationwide mental health crisis in Wisconsin.

The out-of-state providers would still need to carry a license in good standing in their home state, provide the client with contact information for their licensing board, and report to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. Senate Bill 515 still needs to make its way through an executive session before getting a vote on the floor of the state Senate.