SHARE
PRINT 
2025 Wisconsin Act 10 was signed into law on July 2, 2025, by Governor Evers. WISHIN is poised to play a key role in implementing the intent of Act 10.
Through WI Act 10, the Department of Health Services (DHS) and WISHIN are tasked to develop and maintain a portal available throughout the state to facilitate sharing of safety plans among first responders for a minor in mental health crisis.
The legislation, sponsored by the Joint Legislative Council, says DHS may make payments to the nonprofit corporation that supports the state’s electronic health information exchange (WISHIN) to develop and maintain the portal.
WISHIN stands ready to help. At a legislative public hearing on the safety plan for minors, WISHIN CEO Steve Rottmann testified that “the sharing of these safety plans offers innovative strategies to break down the silos between hospitals, clinics, community members, first responders and others in the health care delivery system, a mission which WISHIN has been carrying out for 15 years.”
The legislation defines the safety plan as an individual’s written document that provides guidance for first responders on how to help the individual in crisis. WISHIN will work with DHS and county health and human service departments to ensure access only to authorized first responders and healthcare providers.
“WISHIN is able to provide crisis plans for an individual that can be accessed by clinicians but are walled off to authorized first responders that are not entities covered under HIPAA law as permitted by Act 10,” said Rottmann.
Since 2021, WISHIN has partnered with Ashland and Bayfield counties to provide a digital platform to create safety plans (CA:tCH) for individuals who are at risk of, or who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.
“Access to the safety plans empowers those at risk to have a say when they are most vulnerable,” Rottmann said, “while access by first responders empowers them to de-escalate and stabilize situations where individuals are in crisis.”
Rottmann says involvement in safety plans for minors “represents a unique use case to exhibit exactly why WISHIN exists.”
