The Brown County Board of Health spent much of its May 12 meeting discussing a proposed regional mental health program called “Grow,” an effort local health officials hope could help address rising suicide rates, isolation and lack of mental health resources in rural communities.
Health Department Administrator Melissa Stinson-Waddell told board members the program focuses on helping people before they reach a crisis point by creating stronger community connections and making mental health support easier to access. The project would include all eight counties in Indiana Region 7, including Brown, Jackson, Lawrence, Orange, Washington, Crawford, Harrison and Perry counties.
Stinson-Waddell said the proposed Grow program combines online mental health tools, volunteer community ambassadors and local outreach programs designed to encourage people to talk openly about mental wellness and seek help earlier. The initiative would use an online platform called Credible Minds, which offers free mental health information, wellness resources and connections to telehealth services.
During the meeting, board members watched draft videos created to explain the program. The videos described Grow as a new approach to rural mental health care that focuses on prevention, community support and reducing isolation. The program would encourage local residents to become trained ambassadors who help connect neighbors with resources and support systems.
Stinson-Waddell explained that the larger regional proposal is tied to a major state health grant process currently underway through Indiana’s regional health initiative system. She said the overall Region 7 funding requests total roughly $69 million. The Grow mental wellness program itself represents about a $1.4 million regional proposal that would serve all eight counties.
She said Brown County submitted three major requests through the regional process – the Grow mental wellness initiative, the county’s developing paramedicine program and funding connected to a proposed shelter program for both men and women.
According to Stinson-Waddell, grant decisions are expected around July 1. If approved, the Grow program and related services could begin rolling out this fall.
Even if the larger regional grant is not approved, Stinson-Waddell said Brown County still plans to move forward with parts of the program locally. “We are still ranked the highest in the state of Indiana for suicide,” Stinson-Waddell said. “It’s happening every month.”
She said the county has already received support from community partners, including Centerstone and the Brown County Community Foundation. Brown County has already budgeted funding for the Credible Minds platform and currently has $2,000 set aside toward the initiative, while Centerstone has pledged additional support.
Stinson-Waddell said it would cost approximately $16,000 to begin the local ambassador portion of the program, while the full package of services and materials would cost about $56,000 over five years. She said Centerstone has agreed to provide ambassador training at no cost.
The program would rely heavily on community involvement. Local volunteers would share their own experiences, check in on neighbors and help direct people toward services before problems become emergencies. Stinson-Waddell said many residents, especially older adults, are struggling silently and often feel isolated.
Board members also discussed how the proposed Grow initiative could work alongside Brown County’s developing paramedicine program. The program would involve medical personnel checking on vulnerable residents in their homes and helping connect them with healthcare or social services before situations worsen.
“We lost a gentleman last week,” she said while discussing the need for expanded mental health outreach. “If we would have had paramedicine, we could have probably sent the paramedicine group to him to help him through his medical crisis, but he felt he had no hope.”
Much of the remainder of the meeting focused on budget planning and the health department’s growing pool and hot tub inspection program tied to short-term rentals such as Airbnbs. Stinson-Waddell said the department originally expected around 200 pools and hot tubs requiring inspections, but has instead identified nearly 400 across the county.
The inspection program has already generated approximately $60,800, specifically from pool and spa inspections. Stinson-Waddell said the additional revenue has helped cover staffing, training, mileage and equipment costs associated with the program.
The board also reviewed department vehicle and emergency preparedness equipment needs. Stinson-Waddell updated members on repairs to a 2014 Jeep Wrangler that was originally believed to need a new transmission but instead required less expensive computer-related repairs.
Board members additionally discussed the possibility of replacing a large diesel emergency truck with a smaller gas-powered truck that would still be capable of towing emergency trailers and equipment. Concerns were also raised about storing emergency medical supplies and equipment in trailers exposed to summer heat.
Toward the end of the meeting, Stinson-Waddell informed the board that Lindsay Weaver, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Health, plans to visit the Brown County Health Department on Sept. 30 at 10 a.m.
The board has cancelled its May 26 meeting and plans to have a meeting in the fourth week of June instead. That date is currently undecided, as some members of the health board were not present at the meeting to finalize a date.