PEWAUKEE — If you found this Pewaukee home on a vacation rental website, it would be a dream place to stay.
But the beautiful three-bedroom home is specifically available for people who have served in the military.
"We are the first peer-run respite for veterans in the country," said Peter Borucki, Peer Service Coordinator for Mental Health America of Wisconsin.
Borucki is an Army Veteran and one of the peer support specialists at the R&R house.
TMJ4 News was given exclusive access to the private home as Gov. Tony Evers got a first-hand look at how the program helps Wisconsin veterans.
The governor has declared 2023 The Year of Mental Health with $500 million in spending for mental and behavioral health.
Evers is calling for additional funding for the peer support house as part of his mental health initiatives across the state. The governor says the money will help keep the place open.
"Obviously, it's a great place we need,” said Evers, "and we have good people here doing good work."
The ADA-accessible home is a safe place for veterans who are feeling stressed to connect with other veterans. Any Wisconsin veteran can stay in this nonclinical setting for free.
The home opened in 2021 and Borucki says it's exactly the kind of place he could have used when he got out of the military.
"If they do want to talk to me or one of the other peer specialists, they can do that too. If they want to go outside on a nice hot day and enjoy our pool back there, they can do that as well. We're here for them."
The peer-run respite home is run by Mental Health America of Wisconsin. The funds come from the state's Department of Health Services.
Gov. Evers is calling for $450,000 a year for the program.
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