Free Our People: Turning the Page on Wisconsin's State Institutions

Today's podcast is about Wisconsin's dark secret.  A piece of history that many think should be forgotten. And while many states have made decisions to do just that, Wisconsin seems stuck in the past. What are we talking about? It is the fact that Wisconsin still operates three state institutions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Places that have been open since the 19th century. Why? Let’s learn about it with our guests today – Tami Jackson and Cindy Bentley. 

Tami is an experienced public policy analyst and has worked on budget and legislative proposals on a wide array of public policy issues at both the state and federal level. Tami leads the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities policy work, advocating on public policy issues important to people with developmental disabilities and their families. 

Born with an intellectual disability, Cindy Bentley spent much of her childhood at the Southern Wisconsin Center for the Developmentally Disabled. No one expected her to learn the skills necessary to live on her own. But now we know she now runs a statewide organization as the executive director of people first Wisconsin and lives in her own apartment. She is a self-advocate leader in Wisconsin and the nation. 

Learn more about People First Wisconsin: http://www.peoplefirstwisconsin.org/
Learn more about the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities: https://wi-bpdd.org/

WI State Institution Facts: 

·       There are three state institutions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Wisconsin at Northern, Central and Southern Center. 

·       Many states have closed all their institutions for people with IDD. 

·       Over the years fewer people have been living in our state institutions, yet the cost to keep them open is growing. 

·       The total cost to run all three state centers is more than 125 million dollars which is $9 million more than last year.[1] 

·       It takes almost 15-hundred staff to run the institutions.[2]

·       In this budget the Governor is asking for more than $45 million to repair buildings at Central Center. 

·       Only 307 people live in all the state centers right now. That is 39 fewer people than lived there last year. These residents are getting older and there are no new admissions. 

·       It costs $1,303 a day to support someone at a state institution. 

[1] $126,703,600 in 2020-2021; $117,153,200 in 2017-2018; Fiscal Bureau numbers.
[2] 1,441.60 in 2020-21; 1,461 in 2017-2018; Fiscal Bureau numbers.

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