The Speaker's Task Force on Suicide Prevention was called in March with the goals of evaluating resources for suicide prevention; increasing awareness; and eliminating barriers to treatment or care. On Wednesday, the Task Force released several bills to help prevent suicide in Wisconsin.

1. LRB-3871: Suicide Prevention Program. Requires DHS to implement a suicide prevention program.  
2. LRB-4241: Grants for Preventing Suicide by Firearm. Provides funding for DHS to award grants to organizations that train staff at firearm retailers or firearm ranges on how to avoid selling or renting a firearm to a person who may be considering suicide.
3. LRB-4373: Grants to Support Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention Programs in High Schools. Appropriates funding to the Department of Public Instruction for distribution to schools for peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs. 
4. LRB-4361: Grants to Wisconsin Safe and Healthy Schools Center. Requires DPI to award cooperative educational service agencies funding for the WISH Center, which provides suicide prevention training and assistance to Wisconsin public schools. 
5. LRB-4178: Suicide Prevention Hotlines on Student Identification Cards. Provides that elementary, secondary, and post-secondary educational entities be required to include suicide prevention information on student identification cards.
6. LRB-4247: Farmer Tuition Assistance Grants. Funds grants for farmer tuition assistance for low-income farmers who enroll in a course on farm and business management techniques offered by a technical college.
7. LRB-4167. Interim Psychologist License. Requires the Psychology Examining Board to issue an interim psychologist license to an individual who satisfies all of the requirements for a psychologist license, except for the experience requirement. The license would be valid for up to two years. 
8. LRB-4827. Continuing Education for Certain Health Professionals. Requires that certain health professionals complete at least two hours of suicide prevention related continuing education every two years to renew the applicable credential.

You can find their final report here.  

If you, or someone you know, is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Family Game Night

The Marathon County Library is hosting a "family game night" at their Rothschild branch this weekend!  Family Game Day will take place this Saturday from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm.  Bring your family to the library for a fun day of gaming! Board and card games for all ages will be available.

Say cheese!

On Wednesday, the Assembly Committee on Jobs and the Economy heard from cheese makers throughout the state during a public hearing on Assembly Bill 328. This legislation will make it easier for rural dairy processors (like cheese makers!) to secure loans to expand capacity by providing capital access through an existing fund at the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. 

Many Wisconsin dairy farmers are dependent on a dairy processing infrastructure for stable prices and access to markets, which makes dairy processors a critical part of Wisconsin's economy. Because of  the access to high-quality milk, many Wisconsin dairy processors operate in rural areas, however, this can be a challenge because lenders view projects in rural Wisconsin as riskier investments.

Assembly bill 328 attempts to mediate the situation by providing some guarantee to lenders that they won't lose money, while allowing cheese makers and other processors to remain in their rural communities-and closer to the raw materials. This legislation has seen overwhelming bipartisan support, so stay tuned for more information!

Fall is officially here!  Wisconsin State Parks and other DNR recreational properties around the state are hosting a full slate of events for people to celebrate and enjoy the season.  Fall festivals kick off this weekend and run through early November. Check out their website to see the festivals in our area!