Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers has opened its new behavioral health clinic on National Avenue on Milwaukee’s south side.
The clinic is located at 1635 W. National Ave. in the 33,000-square-foot former Badger Mutual Insurance Co. headquarters building, which Sixteenth Street purchased from the insurance company in April 2020.
The new health center provides include behavioral health services, substance use disorder services and Comprehensive Community Services, which is an integrated behavioral health program for adults that provides an array of recovery-focused services, treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation services.
“The opening of our National Ave Clinic could not come at a more critical time. The (COVID-19) pandemic has amplified the behavioral health and substance use disorder issues affecting our community, and the need for accessible, culturally affirming behavioral health services has never been more acute,” said Dr. Julie Schuller, president and CEO of Sixteenth Street.
The Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division is leasing 5,000 square feet of space within the building and will provide psychiatric assessment, medication evaluation, peer support services, counseling and referrals to outpatient clinics, and access to additional community programs.
“This move represents a key development in the transformation of the behavioral health system by bringing services closer to where people live, giving them the opportunity to receive preventative care. This is a significant step toward increasing access to high quality prevention and early intervention services in partnership with trusted community partners,” said David Muhammad, deputy director of the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services.
The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network has pledged $3.7 million to support the clinic.
“The expansion of access to care for behavioral health and substance use services has never been more critical for the communities we serve,” said Cathy Jacobson, president and CEO of Froedtert Health. “Our long-term investment within the National Ave Clinic is intended to supplement our health network’s mission to advance the health of the people of the diverse communities we serve and to have a sustained impact on the health of the south side of Milwaukee.”
