Mental Health Matters programs to find permanent homes

A series of initiatives meant to address mental health concerns in Bartholomew County will be finding homes as Mental Health Matters transitions to a permanent program.

The Mental Health Matters initiative in Bartholomew County will be holding an event this week to update the community on the wrapping up of the three year project and the future of its various programs.

Mental Health Matters began in 2023 and grew out of the needs identified in Columbus Regional Health’s most recent triennial community needs assessment. Community members who took the study identified a strong need for better mental health options in the community.

Julie Orben, the program manager for Mental Health Matters at Columbus Regional Health, explains:

Orben says that Mental Health Matters will still exist as part of the hospital’s Healthy Communities program:

Successful programs from the initiative will find new permanent homes with community organizations. One initiative, the community mental health ambassadors, will be expanded:

The Mental Health Matters partnership includes the city of Columbus, Bartholomew County, Columbus Regional Health, Centerstone, Bartholomew Consolidated Schools and the United Way of Bartholomew County.

The community progress report and resource fair will be on Thursday at the Lex, or the former North Christian Church on Tipton Lane in Columbus. A resource fair will be from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and a community progress report will begin at 5:45 p.m.

You can find more information at https://www.mhmbc.org.