Public asked to weigh in on Fond du Lac psychiatric facility closing

Fond du Lac County will hold a public hearing on the Acute Unit psychiatric facility owned by the County on June 1 at 6 pm in Room H of the City County Government Building at 160 S. Macy in Fond du Lac. Members of the public are invited to attend and to speak.

The County has operated the facility since 1980 to meet the needs of county residents and others experiencing acute psychiatric needs. The county says a combination of declining patient numbers and ongoing management and financial challenges have led the county to consider closing the facility. This hearing provides an opportunity for community members to provide input on this decision.

The facility was designed to care for 25 patients, but houses an average of about 9 residents at a time, with about half from other counties.

The county says there are several reasons for this decline including a greater reliance on other treatment strategies where possible, including alternatives that did not exist when the hospital was built.

In particular, expanded crisis intervention services provided through police departments, the sheriff’s office, and county human services play a bigger role than in the past. Modern medications also help many avoid hospital stays.