Representative Emerson has expressed his support for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the mental health crisis on UW campuses. While he acknowledges the recent legislative efforts, he believes that more needs to be done to make a substantial impact on the lives of students. He has criticized the passing of unfunded mandates and emphasizes the importance of providing immediate relief and fostering an environment that prioritizes mental health.

The representative played a key role in co-authoring AB 588 earlier this year, which would provide funding to student mental health services at Universities of Wisconsin. He believes that passing this bill would enable UW campuses to hire more counselors and increase programming to help students in crisis and prevent others from reaching a crisis situation.

Emerson has witnessed firsthand the rallying of campuses around students in need and hopes that the legislature will do the same by providing critical funding during this time. He stresses that this is a shared responsibility that transcends politics and calls for decisive action to create a safer, more supportive environment on Wisconsin campuses.

For those experiencing a mental health crisis, Emerson encourages them to reach out to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988.