A new statewide effort focused on psychotropic medication stewardship in long‑term care was introduced at the recent DHS Bureau of Nursing Home Resident Care (BNHRC) regional forums. While still in its early stages, the workgroup is already prompting important conversations about how Wisconsin nursing homes support residents whose needs are complex, individualized, and ever‑changing.

At the forums, Lori Koeppel and Cagney Martin joined BNHRC staff to introduce the initiative on behalf of the Wisconsin Director of Nursing Council- Education Forum Inc. Together, they shared why the Council and its partners believe the time is right to take a fresh, structured look at psychotropic medication use and person‑centered care in today’s long‑term care environment.

The psychotropic medication stewardship workgroup is being formed in response to a shared recognition across the field: despite years of progress, psychotropic medications can still become a default response when teams are under pressure, particularly during periods of high acuity, staffing challenges, or rapid change. The presentation emphasized that this work is not about blame or regulatory enforcement. Instead, it is about stepping back, learning together, and strengthening person‑centered care.

During the forums, Martin described the workgroup as an opportunity to reopen important conversations about how care teams interpret and respond to resident distress, behavioral expressions, and changes in condition. These situations are often signals of unmet needs rather than problems to suppress, and they require time, curiosity, and interdisciplinary collaboration to address well.

Although the workgroup’s charter is still in draft form and the group is actively forming, four core aims were shared as the foundation of the effort:

Reduce unnecessary psychotropic medication use in Wisconsin long‑term care settings.

Strengthen teams’ ability to recognize and respond early to signs of resident distress or unmet needs.

Promote care approaches that prioritize comfort, dignity, and quality of life.

Support individualized, non‑pharmacological strategies through better assessment, care planning, and collaboration.

Martin emphasized that this work will take time and that long-term care providers can contribute by sharing feedback and experiences. The group is still forming, and its structure, activities, and outputs will continue to evolve with input from the field. Erica Schultz, director of nursing at Lakeview Health Center and Kari Everson, LeadingAge Wisconsin clinical and regulatory consultant, are two of the group’s members. The goal is to create space for honest discussion, shared learning, and practical improvement that reflect the real-world challenges care teams face daily.

To continue building awareness and momentum, the psychotropic medication stewardship work will be featured at the 2026 Focus Conference, taking place November 18–19 at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells.

Members who are interested in providing feedback, sharing experiences, or helping shape the direction of this emerging work are encouraged to connect with LeadingAge Wisconsin’s clinical and regulatory consultant, Kari Everson, at clinicalsupport@leadingagewi.org or 952‑393‑6612.

Additional updates will be shared as the workgroup continues to take shape.