Mental Health Respite Center Forced To Close In Menominee

The City of Menomonie has ordered a nonprofit mental health facility to close its doors.

The facility, created under a mental health initiative in the last state budget, is called a peer-run respite. It’s a home in a residential neighborhood where people with mental health and drug abuse issues can talk with volunteers who have survived similar problems.

Mayor Randy Knaack said neighbors were blindsided by the center’s opening last week. Also, he said there are legal issues with where it’s located.

“It’s zoned single-family and with that, the residents that would be coming and going in and out of this place would be short-term residents. And that does not match our zoning in Menomonie,” said Knaack.

The city has given the nonprofit running the facility until Monday afternoon to close. Representatives have not yet responded.

Two similar facilities have opened in Appleton and Madison as part of the last state budget.