Six local hospitals, Indy Public Safety Foundation come together to support first responders

Indianapolis, IN---First-response employees of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) now have an additional counseling option to turn to in times of need, courtesy of a collaboration between six local hospital systems and the Indy Public Safety Foundation.

Community Health Network –Behavioral Health Services, Eskenazi Health Midtown Community Mental Health, Fairbanks Treatment Center, Franciscan St. Francis Health counseling services, Indiana University Health and St. Vincent Stress Center are each donating resources and expertise to make Comprehensive Counseling Services a reality, all in support of the city’s first responders and the Indy Public Safety Foundation.

“We are grateful to all our hospital partners for their generosity and the care they are showing for the men and women of Public Safety,” said Director of Public Safety, Troy Riggs. “I continue to be humbled by the support our first responders receive from the Indianapolis community -- citizens and businesses, alike.”

The new, confidential service, accessible through a 24-hour hotline, is live as of today and is designed to supplement existing counseling options already available to DPS first responders through the City of Indianapolis or through their respective DPS division.

Counseling is available to public safety personnel and their spouses, partners, significant others, children, and other household members. Comprehensive Counseling Services offers assistance for a number of issues including, but not limited to, coping with stress and change; family, marital, and significant other relationships; child, adolescent and parenting issues; depression and/or anxiety; and alcohol and drug abuse issues.

“DPS employees already have access to excellent counseling and support options,” said Nick Ball, Executive Director of the Indy Public Safety Foundation. “First responders expressed a desire to have access to an additional option that was community-based and existed outside of the framework of their employment. These six organizations came together in a selfless partnership with our foundation and made this a reality for the benefit of those who protect our city.”

The service will be available to DPS employees for a period of six months, at which point the program will be evaluated by all stakeholders.

About Community Health Network
Ranked among the nation’s most integrated healthcare systems, Community Health Network is Central Indiana’s leader in providing convenient access to exceptional healthcare services, where and when patients need them—in hospitals, health pavilions and doctor’s offices, as well as workplaces, schools and homes. As a non-profit health system with over 200 sites of care and affiliates throughout Central Indiana, Community’s full continuum of care integrates hundreds of physicians, specialty and acute care hospitals, surgery centers, home care services, MedChecks, behavioral health and employer health services. To learn more, visit eCommunity.com or call 800-777-7775.

About Eskenazi Health Midtown Community Mental Health
Eskenazi Health Midtown Community Mental Health was established in 1969 as the first mental health center in Indiana and offers an array of mental health services, including severe mental illness and substance abuse treatment, 24-hour emergency services, a detoxification unit, a full continuum of care for people with chronic addiction, specialized home- and community-based programs for children and adolescents with serious emotional disorders, and a partial-hospitalization program. For more information about the services offered at Eskenazi Health Midtown, please call 317.880.8491.

About Fairbanks
Fairbanks is a nonprofit organization that provides confidential and individualized alcohol and drug treatment and recovery programs for men, women, adolescents and their families. Services include: assessments, detoxification, inpatient and outpatient treatment, recovery management, residential living, education, family support and tobacco cessation. Since 1945, Fairbanks has helped to improve the wellbeing of individuals, families and communities by offering hope and support through its services. For more information about Fairbanks, please visit www.fairbankscd.org.

About Franciscan St. Francis Health
A division of the Mishawaka, Indiana-based Franciscan Alliance, Franciscan St. Francis Health has hospitals in Indianapolis, Mooresville and Carmel, offering a full range of health programs, including its internationally acclaimed cardiovascular and cancer care, joint replacement surgery, women’s health, a Level III neonatal intensive care unit (the only of its kind in south-central Indiana), and other programs such as cardiovascular and cancer care, Women & Children’s Services. Annually, Franciscan St. Francis has 24,000 inpatient admissions and 1.4 million outpatient visits.

About Indiana University Health
Nationally ranked by US News & World Report for 17 consecutive years, Indiana University Health is dedicated to providing a unified standard of preeminent, patient-centered care. A unique partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine –one of the nation’s leading medical schools –gives our highly skilled physicians access to innovative treatments using the latest research and technology.

St. Vincent Hospitals and Health Services
Driven by the faith of four Daughters of Charity who arrived in Indianapolis in 1881 with $34.77 in their pockets, the St. Vincent Hospital mission is to treat the poor and sick by following our Core Values of Service of the Poor, Reverence, Integrity, Wisdom, Creativity and Dedication. Our healthcare ministry has grown to include seven Centers of Excellence: Women's, Children's, Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, Neuroscience, Cancer Care and Bariatrics. The ageless mission of St. Vincent remains unchanged: to minister to the minds, bodies and spirits of those in need.

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Al Larsen
Chief Communications Officer
Department of Public Safety
al.larsen@indy.gov
(317) 327-5072 (office)
(317) 605-4166 (cell)