The conglomerate that enables deposits and purchases also runs a prison phone system that has left families disconnected. By Addie Costello Wisconsin Watch and WPR This story was produced and originally published by WPR and Wisconsin Watch. The online system Wisconsin prisoners rely on to receive money from loved ones recently crashed, leaving them unable […]
‘It’s been a living hell’: Wisconsin prison phone failures leave families disconnected
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections blames contractor ICSolutions for glitches during a free tablet rollout meant to improve communication. By Addie Costello Wisconsin Watch and WPR Wisconsin prisoners have struggled to connect with loved ones for weeks and even months as a state contractor fails to keep up with increasing demand for its call and […]
Madison’s Best Kept Secret’: People Living With Mental Illness Find Work, Care and Community at a Clubhouse Built for Them
Funding for Yahara House is scarce, and Wisconsin invests little in a health care model that’s thriving in Michigan. By Addie Costello Wisconsin Watch and WPR Chewbacca, Yoda and Princess Leia watched over Joe Mannchen and colleagues as they worked on their Yahara House computers, some designing birthday cards for fellow clubhouse members. Taped above […]
Some 360,000 in Wisconsin Lose Medicaid Coverage as Eligibility Checks Resume
About 30% of recipients up for renewal were disenrolled, most for procedural reasons By Addie Costello WPR/ Wisconsin Watch Teresa was used to paying just $6 for medication to treat a chronic condition that puts her at high risk for a stroke and heart attack. So the Dane County resident was shocked this spring when […]
Wisconsin Drops ID Checks at Federally Funded Food Pantries
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says loosening restrictions will broaden access to food during high demand. Some pantry leaders see a potential for complications. By Addie Costello Wisconsin Watch and WPR Wisconsin’s emergency food pantries can now decide whether to check clients’ identification and verify their addresses. By October, the state will require them […]
Wisconsin will Replace FoodShare Aid When Outages Spoil Food, but Filing Requests Isn’t Easy
Bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of awareness mean few FoodShare/SNAP recipients are reimbursed for spoiled food following power outages and other misfortunes. By Addie Costello Wisconsin Watch and WPR Food doesn’t last long in Leisa Winston’s home, where she takes care of nine grandchildren. “Every day after school, it’s somebody (saying), ‘Granny, I’m hungry. Granny, […]