An Act Relating to: a grant to assist in the purchase and renovation of an existing facility in the city of Chippewa Falls to provide a 50-bed treatment center to men with substance use disorders. (FE)
Summary
SB308 would direct the Wisconsin Department of Administration to award a $1,000,000 grant in fiscal year 2025-26 to Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc. The grant would help purchase and renovate the Libertas Treatment Center in Chippewa Falls so it can operate as a 50-bed residential treatment facility for men with substance use disorders who need recovery services.
The bill also includes a legislative finding that the grant serves a public purpose because it addresses the need for recovery services for men in Wisconsin suffering from substance use disorders. The measure is framed as a targeted capital and service investment in addiction treatment infrastructure rather than a broader regulatory change.
Impact
SB308 would create a one-time, nonstatutory appropriation-like grant obligation requiring the Department of Administration to distribute $1,000,000 to a named nonprofit provider for a specific facility project. It would not amend existing criminal, health, or licensing statutes, but it would affect state spending authority and the use of public funds for substance use disorder treatment capacity. The practical effect would be to expand residential treatment availability in Chippewa Falls, specifically for adult men seeking recovery services.
Sentiment
The bill’s stated purpose suggests generally favorable sentiment toward expanding addiction treatment resources and supporting recovery services. By identifying the project as serving a public purpose, the bill presents the grant as a public health and community benefit measure. However, the available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, and the bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, indicating it did not secure final legislative approval.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the use of $1,000,000 in state funds for a grant to a specific private nonprofit and facility, rather than a broader statewide program. Another possible issue is the bill’s narrow focus on a 50-bed treatment center for men only, which may raise questions about equity, geographic targeting, and whether state resources should support one provider and one location. No direct objections are documented in the available transcripts or votes, but the bill’s failure suggests it did not advance through the legislative process.
Crossfiled
An Act Relating to: a grant to assist in the purchase and renovation of an existing facility in the city of Chippewa Falls to provide a 50-bed treatment center to men with substance use disorders. (FE)
A grant to assist in the purchase and renovation of an existing facility in the city of Chippewa Falls to provide a 50-bed treatment center to men with substance use disorders. (FE)