Milwaukee County marked World Mental Health Day by highlighting the work of its Crisis Assessment Response Teams (CART) through a Facebook post from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office's Facebook post featured an episode of the "Behind the Badge" podcast that focused on CART’s role in supporting individuals experiencing mental or behavioral health crises.
CART is a joint effort between the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Milwaukee Police Department, and West Allis Police Department. Each team pairs a law enforcement officer with a mental health clinician to provide on-site crisis response. Since the Sheriff’s Office joined the program in 2020, CART teams have operated in 17 municipalities across the county not already served by local programs.
These teams prioritize de-escalation and connect individuals to mental health services, offering voluntary treatment options instead of detention or arrest. The initiative helps reduce strain on law enforcement while expanding access to crisis intervention resources.
CART’s mission is to ensure an effective and compassionate response to mental health emergencies. The renewed attention to the program on World Mental Health Day reflects Milwaukee County’s ongoing efforts to strengthen crisis response and community support.
