‘Kicking the Stigma’ campaign awards new action grants as Colts camp winds up
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indianapolis Colts’ “Kicking the Stigma” campaign is shining a light on a health issue that has largely been in the shadows and often misunderstood. The mission is to urge those struggling with depression, anxiety or addiction to get help.
On Thursday, the campaign announced $1.1 million in action grants to more than two dozen organizations throughout the state that provide mental health treatment services or raise awareness about mental health.
The campaign’s director, Brett Kramer, talked about the campaign with Business of Health Reporter Kylie Veleta during a visit to the Colts training camp in Westfield.
“We realize that a lot of people just don’t openly talk about mental health,” Kramer said. “They don’t talk about anxiety. They don’t talk about depression, and we really want to normalize these conversations. Because it’s more it’s normal in our everyday language, and where people feel freely to openly talk about it.”
Kramer says to date, the campaign has doled out $24 million in action grants, not including the newly announced round, to support the people in Indiana communities doing the hard work to help Hoosiers get the help they need.
“We’re not mental health experts. So we like to give money away through our action grants to those that are doing the real work in this space throughout the state of Indiana,” she said. “We are really putting money to those organizations that are handling things in their communities, just making it a better space for people to get mental health treatment, but also create conversations as well.”
And more work is being done thanks to a partnership with Indiana University that led to the creation of the $3 million Irsay Institute on IU’s Bloomington campus, which launched in May. The institute allows scientists who study mental health stigma and addiction to collaborate on their research.
The recipients of the new round of action grants are:
- 6th Alarm Peer Support (Lafayette). The grant will support formal Critical Incident Stress Debrief programming in addition to providing First Responders access to a licensed phycologist.
- Boys and Girls Club of Morgan County. The grant will support accessibility to mental health professionals and programming at the facility.
- Bring Change to Mind (Statewide). This grant support BC2M’s ability to create more specialized content for urban and rural communities, provide all-school assemblies, and customized community-based workshops throughout the year.
- Carmel Education Foundation. The grant will support the Carmel schools’ “Rise & Grow Fund,” which provides mental health services for Carmel students in need to help prepare them for positive outcomes in all areas of their life.
- Franciscan Health Foundation (Indianapolis). The grant will support the perinatal mood and anxiety disorder program that is designed to address the specific mental health needs of women during the perinatal period, which includes pregnancy and the postpartum period.
- Family Service Association Counseling Center (Vigo County). Funds from the grant will be utilized to provide comprehensive mental health services to youth and families in Terre Haute and Vigo County.
- Fort Wayne Rescue Mission Ministries. The grant will be used to support operations of the Rescue Mission Outreach Program aimed to serve the severely mentally ill facing a homelessness crisis.
- Healthy Communities of Clinton County. The grant will be used to support “Stepping on Stigma,” which addresses youth mental health and stigma surrounding mental health.
- HVAF of Indiana (Statewide). The grant will support HVAF’s therapy program, which offers intensive therapy services through a full-time licensed mental health clinician.
- Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide (Statewide). The center’s mission is to prevent child sexual abuse and suicide by empowering communities and equipping youth and adults with knowledge necessary to prevent the tragedies of child sexual abuse and suicide.
- Indiana Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (Statewide). The grant will support programming that addresses the need to develop and define careers related to human services and highlight behavioral health careers.
- Irvington Counseling Collective (Indianapolis). Irvington Counseling Collective, serving this near eastside neighborhood and surrounding areas, is committed to making access to affirming mental health support more equitable.
- Mental Health America of Indiana (Statewide). MHA of Indiana values the need to work collaboratively with a variety of organizations that can help leverage the communities they serve through promotion of prevention for all, early identification, intervention for those at risk, integrated health, and behavioral health care for those who need it and recovery as a goal.
- Martin Luther King Multi Service Center (Indianapolis). The grant will support an increase in equitable access to culturally competent mental health services and address the related stigma in the Black community through intentional education and outreach.
- Naveen (Terre Haute). The grant will fund mental health first aid training for the employees at Harsha Behavioral Center.
- Noblesville Schools Education Foundation. The grant will fund mental health support services for Noblesville schools’ students and staff.
- Oaklawn Psychiatric Center (Elkhart & St. Joseph counties). Oaklawn provides mental health and addiction treatment for children, adolescents and adults in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties. Their specialized services range from skills training and case management to outpatient therapy and inpatient care.
- Overdose Lifeline (Statewide). Overdose Lifeline is dedicated to helping individuals, families, and communities affected by the disease of addiction/substance use disorder through advocacy, education, harm reduction, prevention, resources, and support.
- Postpartum Support International Indiana. PSI-IN promotes awareness, prevention and treatment of mental health issues related to childbearing across Indiana. The grant will support its statewide High-Risk Training Initiative for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder.
- Providence Cristo Rey High School (Indianapolis). The grant to the downtown Indianapolis school, will fund the Hope Squad Suicide Prevention Initiative aimed at reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and enhancing peer-to-peer connections that will lead to positive mental health outcomes for students and prevent suicide.
- Reach For Youth (Indianapolis). The grant will be utilized to reduce financial barriers for families and enhance Reach For Youth’s ability to recruit and retain mental health professionals.
- Recovery Café of Muncie. The grant will provide funding to expand Recovery Café of Muncie’s peer-to-peer programming, in addition to providing training and materials needed to add additional Peer Recovery Coaches.
- Step-Up (Indianapolis). Step-Up provides comprehensive HIV care and resources for wellness with dignity and inclusivity. The grant will support its “Barrier Busters” program, which is used to address needs of clients that impact their ability to engage in or prioritize treatment for mental health and/or substance use disorders.
- The Cabin Counseling & Resource Center (Zionsville). The grant will be utilized for direct client services and provide financial assistance to those seeking mental health counseling.
- Warren Arts & Education Foundation (Indianapolis). The grant will fund NOVA Crisis Response Team Trainers and NOVA Crisis Response Team Training for staff at the eastside Indianapolis school district..
- Westfield Washington Development Education Foundation (Westfield). The grant will fund mental health support services for Westfield Washington’s students and staff.