If the Sauk County Health Care Center is sold by the County Board it will be the first time in 150 years that the county has not maintained a residential facility for those in need. Sauk County purchased the county farm in 1871 and built farm and residential buildings there to provide a home for county residents in need. A health care facility later built there and the current Health Care Center show the continual concern of the county to care for its citizens. Why is the Board going against county values and traditions?

In Wisconsin the number of available licensed nursing home beds has fallen sharply in the last two years -- to 26,000 in 2024 from 46,000 in 2022, according to the state health department. Meanwhile possible candidates for nursing home care have grown to 270,000 from 146,000 two years ago. Sauk County needs the beds!

Financing the Health Care Center will require a lot of effort on the county's part. Has the county requested federal funds? Columbia County recently received a million dollars in federal funding to support construction of a mental health and substance abuse clinic. Voters can help by deciding to only elect state legislators who will expand Medicaid coverage in Wisconsin. That and electing Congressional representatives, in November, who will work for increased medicaid payments would help.

Any decision on the continuation of the Sauk County Health Care Center must wait until the county's Continuum of Care Assessment is completed and public hearings are held on the county citizens' views on that report.

Bill Dagnon,
Baraboo