QUALITY OF LIFE

Strategy 2: Increase and expand community services across the region to support the needs of the population.

About The Objectives

The IND15RPC region has access to highquality physical healthcare through Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, Perry County Memorial Hospital, IU Health Paoli Hospital, Harrison County Hospital, and other county facilities, but the region is lacking in resources for addiction recovery and mental health. The objectives for this strategy focus on increasing community services and health initiatives.

Mental Health Services

Mental health services across the nation are lacking, and it is no different in the IND15RPC region. Physical health has been pushed through exercise, diet, and the inclusion and development of multi-modal transportation options. While studies show that sidewalks and trails help contribute to a person’s overall mental health, mental health facilities and addiction recovery programs continue to be left out or not as prominent in the overall discussion of “community health and wellbeing.”

Even before the pandemic, the area struggled with widespread drug addiction and the pandemic only exacerbated the need for mental health resources. It is common for communities to see anxiety and uncertainty in residents after a disaster. In addition to the daily anxiety and uncertainty already experienced, the pandemic forced people into isolation and disrupted the daily routines that people had adopted. While changes to mental health needs during the pandemic are hard to quantify, it has been commonly reported that there was an increase in the number of people reaching out for mental health services. This created an even larger need for mental health and addiction recovery services. Many stakeholders recognized that the area was already lacking in availability of these types of services before the pandemic and expressed urgency in the need to correct this deficit with concerns for future mental health issues as people continue to recover both emotionally and economically from the pandemic.

Funding for Childcare Facilities

Access to affordable childcare was included in the education pillar but has been included in the quality-of-life pillar because of the topic’s importance in retaining existing families while also attracting families to the region. Quality affordable childcare has been lacking in the region for much longer than the pandemic. However, the issue was made worse by closures of at-home and commercial childcare options during the pandemic. This created challenges for families who began to work, learn, and live in the same space during the shutdown. It has also created challenges for families wanting or needing to return to in-person work who do not have available childcare. The IND15RPC region is very attractive for families looking to relocate to a rural area and who plan to work remotely but the lack of childcare availability prevents them from doing so. One of the largest challenges identified by stakeholders for the region involves state funding for childcare and the current methods that are used to determine the needs of rural areas.

Community Centers and Recreational Facilities

Community centers can act as an anchor for a community and provide several amenities and activities all in one place. Generally, community centers can provide space for events and programs to be held for people of all ages during all seasons. These centers are designed to be multi-purpose hubs that provide a place for residents to come together, connect, exercise, and socialize.

Community centers can vary in scale and might be located at an old school or church or include a new multi-purpose building with gyms and classrooms. Programs might include classes and clubs for arts, recreation, adult learning, and other educational programming. Most importantly, community centers should be a place for the community to gather.

Objective Priority Actions

A. Expand counseling, addiction recovery, and mental health services throughout the region.

1. Develop residency programs to attract new graduates with degrees that address counseling, addiction recovery, and mental health services.

2. Conduct a regional assessment of services that are available in the region and those that are only available outside of the region. Identify mental health and behavioral health trends and needs. Develop a strategy to address gaps in services.

1. Develop an accurate cost model for rural communities to replace the current model for lowincome families which does not account for the context of different locations.

B. Work with the state of Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration to determine a better way to assess data for funding needs for childcare facilities in rural communities.

2. Utilize the Child Care and Development Fund from Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration from the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning to help low-income families obtain funds to send children to childcare providers.

3. Utilize existing Community Foundations, that focus their investments in childhood care and education to help fund various projects including adding staff, supplying food for facilities, and buying supplies for classrooms.

C. Develop community centers across the region complete with classrooms, gyms, and indoor sports and recreational facilities to help support and build a healthier community.

1. Utilize existing structures and facilities to develop centers in the region that can provide activities for communities year-round.

2. Work with school corporations to partner in providing community activities utilizing school facilities.

3. Conduct a feasibility study for the region to identify appropriate locations, size, and programming for a new state-of-the-art community center with classrooms, gyms, and other amenities to provide year-round educational and recreational programming.