Mayo Clinic Health System awarded a $25,000 Hometown Health Grant to Buffalo County Health and Human Services Department and the Buffalo County Jail to fund mental health and substance abuse telehealth counseling for incarcerated individuals.  

According to their grant application, most inmates of the Buffalo County Jail report having mental health and/or substance abuse challenges. Community Justice Services, a restorative justice program serving Buffalo County, found 61% of inmates have a history of or current struggle with mental health, and a greater percentage have a history and/or current struggle with substance abuse. Incarcerated individuals are not eligible for Medical Assistance and typically have limited financial means to access services. 

Presently, inmates in the Buffalo County Jail have limited access to behavioral health and substance abuse services, limited to one day per week. Additionally, behavioral health providers are scarce in Buffalo County. Virtual access via telehealth improves client access to services by bringing providers to clients who are unable to travel and increases provider availability by eliminating provider travel.

Funding for this initiative is a collaborative effort. The UW Madison Division of Extension purchased two videoconferencing systems for the jail and Mayo Clinic Health System funds will be used to contract with substance abuse and mental health counseling providers to offer telehealth behavioral health and substance abuse-related services based on the need of the individual inmate.

Mayo Clinic Health System believes that all community members have the right to equal access to health and medical services, regardless of their circumstances.