Crisis Services: A Safe Place for Help
Sometimes, when you experience increased stress or symptoms related to a mental health and substance use concern, it’s best to go to a place that can help you. There are many supportive environments. They offer a network of people who work with you through your crisis. They can also help you plan for any challenges when you go back home.
Crisis urgent care and observation facilities
Crisis urgent care and observation facilities provide 24/7 no-wrong-door access to mental health and substance use care. They are available to people seeking care voluntarily on a walk-in basis and those in need of involuntary care under an emergency detention.
Staff focus on reducing the intensity of the person's crisis, identifying and developing coping skills to prevent future crisis situations, and connecting the person to ongoing supports in their community. Stays can be as short as a few hours to as long as five days.
The services provided at crisis urgent care and observation facilities are more intensive than crisis stabilization facilities and less intensive than inpatient psychiatric care. If a crisis urgent care and observation facility is not the appropriate place for the person's needs, the person will be connected with a provider offering a more suitable level of care for their condition.
There are no crisis urgent care and observation facilities currently open in Wisconsin.
The emergency rules governing the certification and operation of this new facility type were published June 16, 2025.
The following information is for agencies interested in providing crisis urgent care and observation facility services.
Certification information
Crisis urgent care and observation facilities are certified by DHS under Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 31. There is a two-step process to obtain initial certification.
Step 1
Complete and submit the following form to the Division of Care and Treatment Services: Request for Approval Crisis Urgent Care and Observation Facilities (CUCOF) Certification Application, F-03385 (Word).
Step 2
Once approved under step 1, apply for initial certification through the Division of Quality Assurance. Complete and submit this form: Behavioral Health Certification Section DHS 31 - Crisis Urgent Care and Observation Facilities Application, F-03389 (Word)
Rules and regulations
- Wisconsin Stat. § 51.036 - Crisis urgent care and observation facilities
- Wisconsin Admin. Code ch. 31 - Crisis urgent care and observation centers (emergency rule)
Note: Facilities opened under the emergency rules need to comply with any updates to the regulations for this facility type in the permanent rules when the permanent rules are published.
Forms
Forms related to the operation of crisis urgent care and observation facilities will be shared when they are available.
Contact dhsdctscucof@dhs.wisconsin.gov with questions about the rules and regulations, certification process, and forms for crisis urgent care and observation facilities.
Crisis stabilization facilities
Crisis stabilization facilities support people who can’t stay in their home safely, but don’t need to be hospitalized for mental health and substance use care. Stays are arranged through the mental health emergency hotline for the person's county of residence. These hotlines are known as county crisis lines. People can not walk-in for services.
Staff focus on reducing the intensity of the person's crisis, identifying and developing coping skills to prevent future crisis situations, and connecting the person to ongoing supports in their community. Stays range from one day to seven days or more depending on the health and safety needs of the person who needs help.
DHS currently funds five crisis stabilization facilities for adults that serve specific counties.
Beaver Dam
Serving Columbia, Dodge, Green Lake, Fond du Lac, and Marquette counties.
Calm Harbor - West
Call: 262-677-2216 (referrals only)
Email: docalmharbor@elevateyou.org
La Crosse
Serving Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Trempealeau, and Washburn counties.
Tellurian Crisis Assessment, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Center
Call: 608-519-3080 (referrals only)
Email: patientservices@tellurian.org
Madison
Serving Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Juneau, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk, and Vernon counties.
Tellurian Crisis Assessment, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Center
Call: 608-222-7311, ext. 179; after hours use ext. 109 (referrals only)
Email: patientservices@tellurian.org
Waukesha
Serving Dodge, Ozaukee, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha counties.
Waukesha County Crisis Resource Center
Call: 262-896-8589 (referrals only)
No email address
Wausau
Serving Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, and Vilas counties.
North Central Health Care Adult Crisis Stabilization Facility
Call: 715-845-4326 (referrals only)
Email: nchc.csfmanager@norcen.org
There are 20 crisis stabilization facilities for adults that do not receive state grants. Call 211 to learn about all crisis stabilization facilities for adults in Wisconsin.
DHS currently funds three crisis stabilization facilities for youth that serve the entire state.
Milwaukee
Lad Lake Masana
Girls ages 13-17
Call: 414-750-6109 (referrals only)
Email: masanareferrals@ladlake.org
Watertown
The Matz Center
Boys and girls ages 10-17
Call: 920-463-0766 (referrals only)
Email: matzcenterycsf@wiscs.org
Wausau
North Central Health Care
Boys and girls ages 17 and under
Call: 715-845-4326 (referrals only)
Email: nchc.csf-managers@norcen.org
Certification and operation information
The following information is for agencies:
- Exploring providing youth crisis stabilization facility services
- Operating a youth crisis stabilization facility.
Certification process
Youth crisis stabilization facilities are certified by DHS under Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 50. There is a two step process to obtain initial certification.
Step 1
Complete and submit the following form to the Division of Care and Treatment and Services: Request for Approval: Youth Crisis Stabilization Facilities Certification Application, F-02595 (Word).
Step 2
Apply for initial certification through the Division of Quality Assurance.
Contact dhsdctsycsf@dhs.wisconsin.gov with questions about the rules and regulations, certification process, and forms for youth crisis stabilization facilities.
Hospitals
Many hospitals provide inpatient mental health and substance use care and treatment for people of all ages whose needs cannot be safely met in an outpatient setting.
Know your rights
There are rules to ensure the privacy and dignity of people receiving mental health services are protected. Learn more about Wisconsin's client rights law.