Milwaukee Mental Health Providers Scramble to Aid Patients After Red Oak Counseling Closure

Sudden shutdown of Optum-owned clinics leaves many seeking new care options in a strained system.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The abrupt closure of Red Oak Counseling clinics in Milwaukee and Elm Grove has left numerous patients scrambling to find new mental health providers. The shutdown, with less than a month's notice, underscores broader challenges in the local mental health care system where demand far exceeds supply. Several community providers have stepped up to assist displaced Red Oak patients, highlighting the dedication of local professionals, but securing timely appointments remains a critical bottleneck.

Why it matters

The Red Oak closure is part of a broader trend of consolidation in the mental health industry, where smaller clinics are being acquired by larger conglomerates. This can lead to reduced access to personalized, community-based care, raising concerns about the future of mental health services in Milwaukee.

The details

Red Oak Counseling, owned by Optum, informed patients of the closure with minimal notice, offering limited guidance on transferring care or continuing specialized treatments like Spravato for depression. This has left many patients, like Katie Bloom, feeling abandoned and uncertain about their future care. Industry experts like Gina Brindowski of South Shore Counseling note a pattern of smaller clinics being purchased by larger companies, sometimes leading to closures that impact local access to services.

  • Red Oak Counseling clinics in Milwaukee and Elm Grove closed on February 25, 2026.
  • Patients received generic closure letters from Red Oak with less than a month's notice.

The players

Red Oak Counseling

A mental health counseling clinic that closed its Milwaukee and Elm Grove locations, owned by Optum.

Katie Bloom

A former patient of Red Oak Counseling who expressed shock and uncertainty about finding new care after the sudden closure.

Adriana Corbell

A Red Oak Counseling patient who received the specialized Spravato treatment for depression, highlighting the difficulty of finding consistent care on short notice.

Gina Brindowski

The owner of South Shore Counseling, who notes a pattern of smaller clinics being acquired by larger conglomerates like Lifestance and Optum, sometimes leading to closures and reduced access to care.

Optum

The parent company that owned Red Oak Counseling and announced the closure of its Milwaukee and Elm Grove clinics.

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What they’re saying

“I wasn't expecting this closure whatsoever.”

— Katie Bloom (newsy-today.com)

“The access has to be there...whenever a hand is reached out and asking for help, that hand needs to be grabbed.”

— Gina Brindowski, Owner, South Shore Counseling (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

Several local mental health care providers have immediately offered assistance to displaced Red Oak patients, highlighting the dedication of the community to ensuring continuity of care. Patients are encouraged to contact the providers listed in the article to inquire about availability and transferring their care.

The takeaway

The Red Oak Counseling closure underscores the urgent need for systemic improvements in mental health care access in Milwaukee. While community providers have stepped up to help, the broader trend of industry consolidation raises concerns about the future of personalized, community-based services in the region.