Recommendations for Milwaukee County Mental Health Board being sent to Walker

By: CBS58 Staff

Posted: May 7, 2014 6:54 AM CDT | Updated: Nov 5, 2014 2:22 PM CDT

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee County Heath Committee will make its recommendations to Governor Scott Walker today on who should lead a new county board focused on mental heath.

Walker signed a bill into law earlier this year allowing for the creation of the board, and Wednesday's recommendations are one of the first steps toward mental health reform in the county.

The law takes oversight away from the county board and shifts it to an appointed panel.

The Health and Human Needs Committee will hold a special meeting at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Milwaukee County Courthouse before forwarding the names of eight individuals recommended to lead the board to Walker.

The recommendations come one week after 31-year-old Dontre Hamilton was shot and killed by Milwaukee police in Red Arrow Park.

Hamilton was homeless and his family says he suffered from mental illness and never got the help he desperately needed.

CBS 58's Matt Doyle has more.