Fishers found itself treating mental health as a Stage IV illness, treating residents through emergency tactics that did little to address the illness in its prevention or early stages. We answered the question: what if we could prevent a crisis before it occurs? After learning of 157 immediate detentions by the Fishers Police Department, we took a step back and started thinking of ways we could reach people experiencing mental health challenges earlier to help prevent emergency situations.
The Mental Health Initiative Vision
Hear from Fishers’ Mayor, Scott Fadness
At the end of the day, if we, as the City of Fishers, can help one person who is living in what I would call quiet despair, if we can reach out to them and help them through the services and collaboration the Fishers Mental Wellness Initiative came up with, then I think that is a success.``
How Our Plans for A Mentally-Healthy City Came Together
It takes all of us working together to make a change, and that applies to addressing mental health challenges and ending the stigma in our communities. It all started with an awareness of how many people were truly struggling in our community and discovering a lack of integrated health care solutions ahead of a mental health crisis.
Research and Understanding
Leadership Assembly and Planning
Key Goal and Initiative Development
Implementation and Community Outreach
One Community. Working Together.
The Fishers community has pledged to create a stigma free city in which residents will support each other, commit to learning more about mental illness and wellness, and get help. Join the movement and take the Stigma Free Fishers pledge today.
Can I just say how grateful I am that you called us yesterday and tried to get our son the help he needed. I think you saved his life and I am so grateful for that. I kept hearing your voice after we left. You saying that he needed help and you were uncomfortable with the plan. So I called the numbers on the card the Community Health Network Therapist gave us.``
– Fishers Parent
Fishers Mental Health Initiative Outcomes
We found that even in a few short years, by all working together, we are beginning to see changes in the community. We hope that continued work and more growth to the initiative will show even more positive results in becoming a mentally healthy city.
100%
Percent of Fishers Fire and Emergency Services Officers trained in Crisis Intervention training.
1
First screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral training for a fire department in the country.
350
Attendees of the Peyton Riekhof Foundation for Youth Hope Night of Hope
400
Attendees for the Journey of Heart, Mind, and Soul educational event for youth and families
Send Us Your Ideas
One community working together can do a lot. All communities working together can change the world. We’re happy to share what we’ve learned with you and we want to hear your ideas too! Send us your ideas, goals, or how your community is working toward a stigma-free city!