Oct. 21, 2026 8p
(WGTD)---Racine County expects to serve more people and achieve better outcomes with the opening of the county’s new Behavioral Health Building on Taylor Ave.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday at the $36 million facility. An open house for the public will be held next Thursday.
At Wednesday's event, the county’s Director of Human Services, Hope Otto, noted that last year over 5,000 residents benefited from some type of mental health or substance abuse treatment offered by the county. "We anticipate there will probably be an increase because of the more ideal location on a bus route on a campus," she said.
Crisis counseling and assessment, case management, adult protective services, short-term mental health residential treatment and a new short-term residential drug abuse treatment program will all be located under one roof—locally--in a welcoming environment that includes a lot of bright colors, natural light and an outdoor courtyard. "So for all of those reasons having this on one campus is an extremely exciting development for this community," said Pat Bohon, President of the Racine County chapter of NAMI, an acronym for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Speakers at the event believe strong mental health and drug treatment programs are essential to saving lives, stabilizing families and maintaining an adequate work force.
County Executive Ralph Malicki says he doesn't see the need lessening. "Looking at the pressures in society that exist today it would be counter-intuitive to think that mental health is shrinking as an issue," he said.
The new Behavior Health Building was an idea that was hatched by the late County Executive Jonathan Delagrave.
It’s located across the street from the county’s workforce development center on the site of a former lumber yard.
A little less than half of the cost was covered by COVID relief funds. $5 million came from a congressional appropriation and just over $8 million is funded by county borrowing.
Next Thursday’s open house will run from 3-6. It’s being billed as a way for the public to meet the staff and familiarize themselves with the services that are offered.
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