The Hendricks County Community Foundation is working with a Steering Committee of dedicated professionals to develop a plan to address the Mental Health and Substance Use needs in Hendricks County. Mental health and substance use services are consistently ranked the highest needs for our community in both professional settings as well as among residents surveyed. The result we are seeking to accomplish is that “All people in Hendricks County are mentally healthy, free of addiction or on a path to recovery.”

The Steering Committee has identified key indicators to measure our progress — Reduce the number of self-reported poor mental health days per month and reduce deaths and emergency room visits involving drug overdoses.

We have also worked with a wide variety of people who live and work in Hendricks County, including those with lived experience, to identify the strategies that they think will work to improve these indicators.

Now, we would like to get your input and invite you to come to a meeting on October 26th from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds. Boxed lunch will be provided. At the meeting we will ask you what strategies work to improve the key indicators, what strategies you are already engaged in, and what you may be able to do in addition to your current strategies.

Our desire is that when completed in December, this plan includes not only the strategies to help Hendricks County reach the result we want to achieve, but also has aligned the resources to accomplish that result.

This plan is not something that any one entity or individual can accomplish alone. We need everyone in the community working together to assure that, “All people in Hendricks County are mentally healthy, free of addiction or on a path to recovery.”