September is National Recovery Month, which is a great time to remind Hoosiers about resources for mental health and addiction recovery. One in 12 Hoosiers struggle with some form of substance abuse, according to a statewide addiction initiative led by Indiana University. To bring down this concerning statistic and many others, I’m committed to working with lawmakers and other state leaders to help increase access to proven treatment programs.Â
Thanks to funding approved by state lawmakers, more than $54.8 million in Community Catalyst Grants will support 37 programs across the state to enhance the quality of and access to mental health and substance treatment services. Locally, Southwest Behavioral Healthcare will receive about $4.9 million to implement community-based programming addressing behavioral health and substance use disorder needs. The Wellness Council of Indiana will also receive over $275,000 to help educate and train its employees on crisis response, and local mental health and substance use resource services.
From 2015 to 2020, drug overdose deaths in Indiana increased from 18.6 per 100,000 to 33.6 per 100,000, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Going back to 2000, overdose deaths increased fivefold. Much of this can be attributed to increased opioid addictions, with prescription drugs accounting for 80 percent of all overdose deaths in Indiana, which took the lives of 2,268 Hoosiers in 2020, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. To combat this epidemic, Indiana recently invested $1.3 million in overdose prevention like helping nonprofits and first responders distribute naloxone, a life-saving overdose reversal drug, to more Hoosiers. To receive a naloxone kit and training on how to use the live-saving drug, visit overdoselifeline.org.
Indiana’s Workforce Recovery program also helps Hoosiers overcome addiction while they continue to work. Participants undergo drug treatment as the state helps cover a majority of the costs. Through this program, we are simultaneously addressing our communities’ workforce shortages while putting those struggling with addiction on the path to sobriety and steady employment. To learn more about this program, visit wellnessindiana.org/recover.
Addiction is closely tied to mental health and Indiana continues investing in expanding access to mental health treatment. A new three-digit hotline, 988, can help provide immediate help to anyone struggling or going through a crisis.
Hoosiers struggling with addiction are urged to call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s hotline at 1-800-662-4357 for treatment referral services. For immediate help 24/7, call 211. To browse a directory of Indiana addition resources, visit Next Level Recovery at in.gov/recovery.
As a member of the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder, I’m committed to collaborating and defeating the drug epidemic impacting so many Hoosiers and their families.
Every life has meaning and value, and it’s important we continue to do more to connect struggling Hoosiers to lifesaving resources. If you need help navigating state resources, please contact my office at 317-232-9769 or h75@iga.in.gov.
