Therapists in Madison, WI and Nearby Locations

Finding Mental Health Professionals in Madison, Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin is located in Dane County and is the second-largest city in the state, behind only Milwaukee. The large University of Wisconsin is in Madison, and it’s one of the city’s largest employers. Madison is also known for its extensive outdoor activities including parks, biking trails, and lakes. The four lakes that are located in Madison include Lake Mendota, Lake Monona, Lake Waubesa, and Lake Kegonsa.

The population of Madison is well-educated. For example, more than 48% of residents over the age of 25 have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. In 2004, Forbes said Madison had the highest percentage of people with Ph. D.s in the U.S. It’s often ranked as a great place to build a career as well.

Beyond these positive points, what about the state of mental health in Madison? There are issues that some people in the city face, and they may not know where to turn to connect with therapists and other resources.

Mental Health in Madison

In 2016 in Madison and surrounding Dane County, there was an estimated rate of 6.4 people per every 1,000 individuals receiving treatment for a substance use disorder. This number was down slightly from the two years prior but was still higher than many of the other counties in Wisconsin.

Methamphetamine use in Wisconsin is particularly problematic. Research showed that there was a 167% increase from 2011 to 2015 in charges for possession related to methamphetamine in the state of Wisconsin. The age range of 45% of people in Wisconsin who were charged with operating a vehicle while under the influence of methamphetamine was 25 to 34. The number of people seeking treatment for substance use disorder related to methamphetamine was up in 2015 in Wisconsin over previous years.

From January to March 2015, there were more than 2.6 million monitored opioid prescriptions dispensed in Wisconsin. Of the monitored 15 prescription drugs, 53% were narcotic pain medications, and 32% were sedatives or benzodiazepines. According to the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse, there were 865 opioid-related overdose deaths in Wisconsin in 2016. This represents a death rate of 15.8 per 100,000 people, which is higher than the national average. Deaths were primarily associated with the use of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. According to one survey report released in 2012, the rate of alcohol-impaired driving in Wisconsin is among the highest in the nation.

Research put together by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that in Wisconsin the number of people with any mental illness is higher than the national average, and the same is true of people with a serious mental illness.

Another report shows that a third of all referrals to the Dane County District Attorney’s office from law enforcement officials are related to domestic violence. There are an estimated 12,000 domestic violence incidents in Dane County each year, believed to impact at least 33 county residents every day.

In 2016, despite state job growth, the poverty rate in Wisconsin went up. The official poverty rate for the entire state went up from 10.8 to 11.8.

Mental Health Resources in Madison

Mental health resources in Madison, Wisconsin include private and public options as well as treatment centers and individual therapists. Recovery Dane is an organization that provides referral services for adults, as well as information on mental health. AODA, which stands for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse provides services for both children and adults who don’t have insurance. DAIS is a nonprofit organization offering domestic violence support.

NAMI Dane County is also a nonprofit group that provides support services and education for individuals and families throughout the county who have mental illness. Journey Mental Health Center offers mental health care as well as help for substance abuse, and they also offer support services and case management, outpatient care, and crisis care.

The University of Wisconsin’s University Health Services provides 24-hour crisis services, group counseling, couple and partner counseling, and other options for students, faculty, and other people associated with the university.