Materials providing information on the 988 crisis and suicide lifeline during the Johnson County State of Mental Health address in 2022.
DAILY JOURNAL FILE PHOTO
For nearly two decades, opioid addiction has increasingly torn apart communities and destroyed lives throughout Johnson County and beyond.
Nothing can change that.
But Indiana health officials hope an influx of money from lawsuits holding those responsible for their role in the epidemic can be used to help people now suffering from mental health and addiction crisis.
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction announced a series of grant recipients on Tuesday, given to help build and support local projects across Indiana to improve mental health and recovery services on a local level.
Centerstone of Indiana, which provides Johnson County and other regional counties with mental and behavioral health care, was one of 45 organizations receiving funding. Centerstone will receive more than $3 million to establish rapid crisis services, as well as create a transitional housing facility.
The money, totaling more than $76 million, comes from the National Opioid Settlement, as well as the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
“While the state has a role to play in the fight against the drug epidemic, real change happens at the local level”, said Douglas Huntsinger, executive director for drug prevention, treatment and enforcement for the State of Indiana. “Any time we have an opportunity to infuse more dollars into a community for the benefit of Hoosiers, we take advantage of it.”
The National Opioids Settlement is a distribution of $26 billion awarded to 46 states, including Indiana, stemming from opioid-related lawsuits. Indiana’s portion totals about $507 million.
Once the settlement distribution was announced, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction and the Indiana Department of Health, in order to create a framework for how to distribute the funds. The money would go towards a wide variety of initiatives, including evidence-based prevention, treatment, recovery, harm reduction and behavioral health workforce.
Grant applications were accepted in early 2023. At the heart of the effort is Indiana’s “no wrong door” approach to crisis care.
“It means a system will be open and available to all Hoosiers in need of services, regardless of diagnosis, history or ability to pay,” said Jay Chaudhary, director of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction.
Centerstone of Indiana’s proposal fit into that vision. The organization provides mental health and substance use disorder treatments. The organization serves about 30,000 people in central and southern Indiana, including at its Greenwood facility. Services range from addiction recovery to counseling to social services.
With the $3,131,161.80 grant, Centerstone will be able to establish a program to receive and stabilize adults in crisis at the Bartholomew Stride Center in Columbus.
The Stride Center is an alternative to jail, which immediately connects adults 18 and over experiencing mental health or substance use crises with trained professionals who can deescalate their situation. Those professionals can also provide one-on-one consultation, and connect them to necessary community resources, such as housing, peer support, residential treatment, food, and clothing.
Money will also go to expand Centerstone’s Stride Center in Monroe County.
The funding is part of the $57 million given to 15 community mental health centers across the state, which will use the grants to advance integrated crisis response systems providing individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis with someone to contact, someone to respond, and a safe place for help.
“Crisis receiving and stabilization services are critical to providing crisis services,” Chaudhary said. “Currently, too many Hoosiers experiencing a mental health crisis end up in emergency departments or county jails. These grants will help bridge gaps and offer a therapeutic and compassionate alternative pathway for individuals and communities in crisis.”
On Tuesday, the state also announced $19 million in one-time grants given to 30 local units of government, service providers and community organizations. Centerstone was again awarded a grant, this one for $262,000, to provide start-up funding for a transitional housing facility in Columbus.
Two other Bartholomew County groups also received funding for recovery housing. Bridge to Dove was given $324,000 to purchase property for a women’s recovery house. Volunteers of America received $132,000 to expand an existing women’s recovery house, helping clients with case management to develop a plan for recovery and permanent housing.
“These funds will go a long way toward building out the care continuum and improving outcomes for Hoosiers with substance use disorders and mental health needs,” Huntsinger said.
