LeadingAge Wisconsin has joined a proposal from the UW-Madison School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Research and Education (CARE) that could expand access to behavioral and mental health services for rural long-term care residents.

As part of its support, LeadingAge Wisconsin has been invited to participate on the project’s advisory board, helping ensure that the needs and experiences of long-term care providers are reflected in the development of the proposed program. The UW-Madison team envisions the advisory board as a co-design group, with representatives from multiple sectors working alongside the project team to shape the program’s goals, identify implementation partners, develop care pathways and protocols, and ensure the model reflects the realities of rural Wisconsin.

For LeadingAge Wisconsin, this provides an important opportunity to bring the voice of our members directly into the development of a potential new approach to behavioral health care in rural long-term care. If the project moves forward, LeadingAge Wisconsin members would also have the opportunity to participate in implementation and pilot testing of the telehealth care model, potentially gaining early access to additional support and resources.

Addressing a Critical Need in Rural Long-Term Care

The proposed project would develop a community-driven behavioral telehealth care coordination model designed to improve rural long-term care residents’ access to specialty behavioral and mental health services. One goal is to improve care coordination and referrals for people living with dementia.

The model would also seek to strengthen coordination and referral pathways among long-term care providers, primary care providers, hospitals, emergency services and law enforcement. A central goal is to help long-term care staff identify and manage dementia and behavioral health concerns earlier—before they escalate into crises.

For LeadingAge Wisconsin members, the potential benefits include:

• Increased access to behavioral and mental health specialists for residents in rural communities through telehealth.
• Expert consultation for long-term care staff managing complex behavioral health needs.
• New tools, resources and care models to support better behavioral health outcomes.
• Improved care coordination and referral pathways between nursing homes and other healthcare and emergency service providers.
• Potential opportunities to participate in pilot testing of a new telehealth care model.

The planning process would bring together healthcare and other organizations involved in dementia care, long-term care, acute care and emergency services from across rural Wisconsin. The goal is to establish the partnerships, infrastructure and implementation framework needed to eventually test a phased, telehealth-enabled care coordination program.

LeadingAge Wisconsin is pleased to support this effort and to have a seat at the table as the proposed model is developed. However, it is important to emphasize that this project is still in the proposal stage. UW-Madison is seeking funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program, and the project has not yet been awarded. If the proposal is successful, the planning phase is anticipated to begin in November 2026, and LeadingAge Wisconsin will keep members informed as the project develops and opportunities for member participation become available.