Fishers simplifies search for mental health care
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The Fishers Health Department is offering a new service aimed at making one of the hardest parts of getting mental health care a little easier.
Why it matters: Mental health was the most frequently identified health priority in Fishers' newly released Community Health Assessment.
- Residents said the biggest hurdles were accessing services and knowing where to start.
Driving the news: The city launched its Mental Health Navigation service yesterday, offering one-on-one help from a mental health support specialist to people seeking assistance for themselves or a loved one.
- The specialist can talk through concerns, identify next steps, find providers and community resources, and make referrals.
- It's designed to help with everything from stress, anxiety and low mood to finding support for a child, spouse or aging parent.
- The service is free and no diagnosis is required.
What they're saying: "Finding the right mental health support can be overwhelming, especially when you're not sure where to start," Fishers Health Department director and health officer Monica Heltz said in a statement. "This service gives people a place to begin."
By the numbers: Fishers' assessment — based in part on nearly 1,500 survey responses — found 36.4% of adults reported anxiety and 25.2% reported depression, despite 92.4% reporting at least moderate overall well-being.
Zoom in: The service doesn't provide psychiatric care, medication management or other clinical treatment.
- It's meant to connect people with the appropriate level of support.
- Free appointments with the mental health support specialist can be scheduled here.