Federal grant provides a boost to mental heath service in La Porte County

With mental health now a mainstream topic, a collaborative initiative in La Porte County was created to help those, especially youth, struggling with such issues. And with the help of a local congressman, those efforts are taking a big step forward.

At the Northern Indiana Education Foundation in Michigan City on Friday, members of the United Way of La Porte County, Swanson Center, public officials and mental health service workers celebrated the efforts of U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-1st, in securing $100,000 in federal funding for La Porte County as part of an assessment process to better provide mental health services to youth.

The grant came from the $1.7 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law by President Biden in December 2022.

United Way CEO Kris Pate said the money would go to the La Porte County System of Care initiative, a collaborative effort between organizations created several years ago to provide mental health services to youth, especially those with extreme issues.

Thanks to Mrvan and his staff, Pate said, they were able to secure funds to have a countywide assessment to see what mental health and substance abuse services youth and families need, and to provide career pathways and a plan for on-going system improvements.

United Way Board President Jane Larson, who serves as assistant superintendent of secondary education of the La Porte Community School Corporation, said the number of students who reported having thoughts of self-harm or suicide has doubled from last year, growing exponentially post-pandemic. LPCSC reported 42 such cases last year.

This year, Larson said, that number has doubled to approximately 75 reports, and the school district is “scrambling” to provide services.

With the federal funding, La Porte County will be more intentional in providing services for not just students within the school system, but their families as well, Larson said.

“We’re very appreciative about the funding to be able to do that. And all of the work that all of you are doing to support us, as well,” she told Mrvan.

Swanson Center CEO Dan Peck said while it was great that talks about youth mental health have become more accepted and mainstream, they’ve actually moved back. He recalled when he was in high school, he was put in charge of a group of students to discuss and process the death of a fellow classmate due to suicide.

The Swanson Center, Peck said, is the smallest mental health services organization in the state, with only 11 employees serving the entire county – six master’s-level therapists and five bachelor-level case managers serving 3,500 residents every year.

“That has been one of greatest criticisms,” he said, “is that we just don’t have enough resources to [provide adequate mental health services].”

For that reason, they started a collaborative effort with other agencies. With school corporations and law enforcement agencies hiring social workers, they’ve been talking and collaborating with them to address the needs.

Mrvan thanked Pate, Larson and the Swanson Center for their efforts in helping the community, and all those in attendance for fighting the stigma of mental health. He said during his time as a township trustee, he discovered a close link between poverty, mental health and addiction – and how they impact children’s lives.

Mrvan helped to start a program of youth ambassadors to talk about teen suicide, saying Indiana was one of the top 10 states for teen suicide rates.

“If you can impact a child and a family early on, they have a better chance of being productive and not being addicted to drugs or going down that dark path,” he said.

It is important to emphasize community efforts in advocating for federal funding, he said. With 435 members in Congress fighting for resources, collaboration is key to make the process work.

“If we stand together and go arm in arm and use our resources …,” Mrvan said, “We can make a better quality of life for all in Michigan City. And if we can save one of those 3,500 families, that’s success.”

He said once the assessment is done, he’ll continue his efforts to find more resources to help La Porte County assist families.