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Crisis Helplines

Be Well Indiana Crisis Helpline – Call 211

Community Health Crisis Line – Call (317) 621-5700, option #1 for psychiatric emergencies.

Indiana Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline – 1 (800) 800-5556

Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence – 1 (800) 332-7385 (voice); 1 (800) 787-3224 (TTY)

The Indiana Family Helpline – 1 (855) 435-7178

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline – Call 1 (800) 950-6264 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (EST); email info@nami.org; or text 24/7 by entering NAMI to 741-741.

NAMI Indiana Helpline – Call the Indiana Helpline at 1 (800) 677-6442 to receive resources and help related to mental health.

The National Mental Health Hotline – Call 1-866-903-3787 to connect with a mental health specialist.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 988

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Youth Resources

Firefly Children & Family Alliance – Provides numerous mental health services in English and Spanish, including support groups, domestic violence programs and mental health counseling for individuals and families. Counseling fees are based on ability to pay. Accepts Medicaid and other insurance plans.

The Trevor Project — Provide resources focused on suicide prevention among LQBTQ+ youth.

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Publications

The following are among the leading print and digital publications in providing a new understanding of how our life experiences impact our mental health. Considered ‘must reading’ for those who have committed to addressing their own mental health or supporting others’ in their journey toward overcoming trauma or achieving better mental health, these publications provide new insights that may challenge many commonly held perceptions about what it means to achieve overall health.

It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by therapist and author Mark Wolynn addresses inherited family trauma and how it can surface in our lives, whether or not we’re familiar with the complexities involved in previous generations of our families. Wolynn draws upon interactions with his patients to highlight why many of them continue in destructive patterns and behaviors that were part of their family tree — whether they are aware of them or not.

The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D. Considered the essential guide on trauma, this book by psychiatrist van der Kolk is considered one of the leading publications to advance the conversation on trauma and how it impacts our health. Bessel van der Kolk’s essential trauma guide. He goes beyond our understanding of how trauma impacts veterans to move the conversation into how trauma impacts all of our lives. career studying how trauma, early and otherwise, wires itself into our bodies and brains.

The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Dr. Gabor Maté, a world renowned therapist who developed the psychotherapeutic method “Compassionate Inquiry,” which explores hidden assumptions, implicit memories, and mental climate to address the complicated issues people hide from the world. In The Myth of Normal, Maté goes beyond more obvious mental health challenges such as addiction and attention disorders to explore more obscure ways, including a toxic culture, in which trauma manifests in an individual.

NAMI Indiana Crisis Planning Booklet – This booklet by NAMI Indiana provides insights on how to prepare for and handle a mental health crisis.

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce D. Perry. The bestselling book on trauma provides insights from the leading neuroscientist, combined with Oprah’s own experiences, as to why childhood experiences can shape a person and their behaviors throughout their lifetime. They challenge practitioners, teachers, social workers, and others to switch from asking the question, “What’s wrong with you?” when encountering people with unacceptable behaviors.

The U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health and Well-Being 2022 encourages employers to prioritize workplace mental health and well-being, citing it as a critical priority for public health.

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Webinars

May 18, 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.
Share, Listen & Learn Meeting: “Indiana Department of Education School Mental Health Updates”
Join fellow Indiana educators and mental health professionals to share mental health and social emotional learning ideas and best practices for our students. Presented by the Indiana School Mental Health Initiative. Cost: Free. Learn more.

May 18-19
Learn How To Address Mental Health Issues In Your Church
A free virtual summit for church leaders on May 18-19, 2023, with topics ranging from how to avoid pastoral burnout to fostering mental health for your team. Cost: Free. Register

Pre-recorded webinars

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides a series of pre-recorded webinars to provide users insights on how to reduce suicidal behavior and substance use among youth. The webinars can give you guidance on how to assess your community’s needs and develop a strategic action plan. Learn more

The Nature Connection: Collaborating to bring ecotherapy to your community. This webinar highlights the benefits of ecotherapy, including research on how it can support mental health. Marissa Byers, a graduate of Butler University with an environmental studies degree and a 2021-2022 MHA Young Mental Health Leaders Council member, talks about how connecting with the natural environment can improve mental health and well-being and inspire climate action. Cost: Free. Presented by Mental Health America. Learn more

Meeting the mental health needs of youth before crisis: Utilizing warmlines webinar. In recent years, the mental health of youth and young adults has been gaining increased attention, especially with rising rates of suicide among this demographic. Having someone to talk with, making a connection, and finding resources can help prevent youth struggling with their mental health — warmlines — from reaching a point of crisis. Watch

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Courses

Dr. Gabor Maté’s The Wisdom of Trauma Courses
Dr. Gabor Maté’s Healing Trauma and Addiction
Dr. Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry Self-Study Short Course

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Nonprofit Employee Renewal Programs

Since 1987, Lilly Endowment has been issuing grants for renewal programs for individuals who are at the frontlines of supporting their communities, including teachers, pastors, artists, human services professionals, and youth workers. These programs provide nonprofit organizations with resources to ensure that their employees can experience a period of renewal. The programs include:

Clergy Renewal Programs — This annual program gives Indiana pastors (as well as clergy across the United States) the opportunity to take time away from day-to-day ministry to restore their commitment to ministry. The grant is administered by the Christian Theological Seminary and its Center for Pastoral Excellence. The 2024 application process is open in early November.

Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship Program — Administered through the Arts Council of Indianapolis, this fellowship program gives artists and arts administrators the chance to rejuvenate their creative energies. The next fellowship program process opens during the summer of 2024.

Human Services Professional Renewal Program, created in 2002, recognizes the long work hours and stress many nonprofit employees face as part of their roles. The program is open to experienced employees of United Way of Central Indiana member agencies. The bi-annual renewal program is administered by United Way of Central Indiana. The deadline for the 2023 application is May 12, 2023.

Journey Fellowship Program, which offers experienced youth workers, new youth workers, and students considering youth work as a career opportunities for renewal. Youth workers who qualify may work for Indiana youth organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., community centers, Girls Scouts, Boys Scouts and faith-based, youth-serving organizations, such as the YMCA and CYO. AYS, Inc. administers the program.