Badger Prairie Health Care Center

History of Badger Prairie Health Care Center

The BPHCC facility has existed since 1845 when it was called the Dane County Asylum for the Criminally Insane. In 1880, it became a part of the county hospital system, which was set up to provide longer term care to people who were discharged from the state hospital system. In 1985, the Dane County Board of Supervisors changed the facility's name from Dane County Hospital to its current name, Badger Prairie Health Care Center.

In order to accommodate steadily increasing populations, the county expanded the original facility with several additions. By 1960, when the east wing of the facility was finished, the facility housed 430 residents.

Since then, the resident population has fallen considerably. This trend was affected by the state and county's increased emphasis on providing community-based care and the development of a strong system of community-based services to serve older adults and adults with disabilities. Today, the new facility has capacity for 120 residents.