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How an Adult & Child Health employee uses comic books and posters to brighten kids’ days

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Adult & Child Health clients occasionally visit the ninth floor at the agency’s 603 E. Washington St. office. It’s one of three floors in the office that houses A&C’s Family Services.

Kids and their parents or guardians often enter the ninth floor because they’re dealing with some sort of stressful situation. Clients from Therapeutic Foster Care, Home-Based, School-Based and Wraparound services occasionally visit. So do Parent-Child Interaction Therapy clients.

When they enter the lobby, office coordinator Dale Kinney is often there to greet them. Visitors who look closely will notice comic books atop a file cabinet next to Kinney’s work area. Even folks who don’t collect or read comic books will recognize the names. Spiderman. Batman. X-Men.

It’s just a small sample of Kinney’s collection, which he says is nearing 70,000. But they’re not there for Kinney’s amusement. Instead, he hopes they help bring a smile to any of the children who enter our doors.

Dale Kinney, Adult & Child Health office coordinator

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How comic books and posters help

As you enter the ninth-floor doors, you might see children and families in the waiting area. But many don’t know this floor serves as a de facto visitation and therapy area. The comic books, Kinney says, are there for the kids to read and enjoy. It’s likely the children are dealing with a difficult situation, so he hopes they help diffuse whatever stress the kids who are reading them might be enduring.

“The kids appear to be excited about the comic books, and Dale really engages with them to make them feel included and valued,” said Emily Sutter, Team Leader for Support Services-North and Kinney’s supervisor. “There is a very welcoming and inclusive feeling for the kids as they’re arriving for supervised visits, and it’s something they can really look forward to.”

“The kids always look at them,” Kinney said. “It’s rewarding to see the looks on the kids’ faces (while they read).”

Help from Hero House Comics

Kinney gets some of the comic books from a nearby shop, Hero House Comics. Kinney’s a frequent patron there, and he’s become friends with the store’s owner, Mike Rittenhouse. He convinced Rittenhouse to donate comic books to Adult & Child Health that are in overstock. Kinney said he gets about 10 new comic books each month.

He doesn’t get enough comic books to give away, but posters are a different story. The Owens Group, a public relations firm, supplies posters to Hero House. Kinney takes the extra posters to A&C to give away to the kids and their families, with Rittenhouse’s blessing.

“They’re all thrilled,” Kinney said of the kids’ reaction to the posters. “The little guys, age 6 to 10, they really love it. Sometimes, they ask if they can have one for their brother or sister. They’re always well-received, even by the adults.”

This Spiderman poster was a big hit among Adult & Child Health clients. “Those flew,” Kinney said.

The posters usually follow a similar theme to the comic books, but they’re often more movie-based. Kinney recently gave away several “Solo” posters, from “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”

“I feel inspired by Dale’s generosity and his desire to share his love of comic books with the children,” Sutter said. “I feel this gets to the heart of his character and his true desire to help our clients in his own way. For Dale, this is not just a place to have therapy and for children to visit their families, but a place to have fun and inspire children to explore their interests, such as comic books.”

There are lessons here, too

Kinney doesn’t just lay out comic books and hand out posters without any purpose. He selects the comic books carefully that he makes available to the kids.

“I want to make sure the characters in the comic books are good role models, and they’re not just white middle-aged male role models,” Kinney said. “Stan Lee (the late comic book writer/editor/publisher) was a big advocate of that.”

He ensures there are plenty of female characters in the comic books he brings to the office, including Jem and the Holograms, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, among others. Although plenty of comic books address serious issues in children’s lives, he doesn’t bring those into the office. “That’s stuff we already talk about here,” Kinney said.

Kinney started giving away the posters and books last June. He said he hopes to continue for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, he just wants the items to bring smiles to the kids.

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The artwork doesn’t end there

The ninth-floor lobby isn’t just about comic books and posters. The kids’ artwork dominates the walls.

The 9th floor lobby walls include plenty of artwork the kids produce when they visit. Cutouts and crayon-colored images cover the walls.

Kinney creates a monthly themed activity for the kids to do during their visits. For March, kids color shamrocks or decorate Mardi Gras masks cut out of paper plates. “That’s the real story here,” Kinney said.

“The foster parents are impressed with Dale’s efforts and the children’s parents are grateful for the changes and improvements directed at making the lobby/visitation site more kid-friendly,” Sutter said. “Dale has made tremendous effort to make this space/lobby more inviting, colorful, and kid-friendly. The children look forward to seeing their work displayed for all to see.”

Although these gestures may not seem big to Kinney, they matter in a big way for the many children who walk through our doors. Generous efforts such as this remind us that each team member plays a part in serving our mission daily.

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Agency News

SHAPE – A Live Arts Event | April 26

Indianapolis band, Frederic and Ronza are partnering with numerous agencies, groups and artists to bring to you, Shape on Saturday April 26th at the Athenaeum Theater, 401 E. Michigan, Indianapolis. The art show starts at 6p.m. and the live performance at 7p.m.  The arts are proven to support positive mental health. “Shape has been in the works for over a year with numerous artists and partners coming to the table with their ideas, talent and resources. This event will show how we have transformed lived experiences into art in a way that celebrates the resilience of those impacted by mental health and substance use issues,” said Kelly Fischer, senior lecturer at Ball State University.  Ball State University has formed a community partnership with Frederic and Ronza and the Consortium of Artists allowing their students to earn course credit as they participate in the process of creating this event, and there are also numerous artists and partners are involved. Through passionate music performances, spoken word, dance and a juried art show, the participating artists will render works that encourage the audience to listen, learn, gain perspective, be empathetic and gain a deeper understanding of these issues. The goal is to reduce stigma, elevate the voice of those affected, and bring hope to all who attend. The show will feature soul band Frederic and Ronza who will share original music. In addition, dancers from Dance Kaleidoscope will share a piece about grief that was choregraphed by Kristin Toner of the Indianapolis ballet.  Her work was inspired by watching a friend grieve the suicide of her brother, using dance to express emotions and inspire others. Toner said, “Art has helped me express my own feelings and thoughts about grief in order to provide a moment of emotion as the dancers connect with the audience.” Additionally, there are numerous others involved including poets and singers who will share their own passion and support for these issues.  All of the music, dance, poetry and spoken word were created or chosen based on the stories we heard during listening sessions. “The listening sessions were an opportunity to hear the stories of those impacted by these issues,” said Frederic and Ronza.  Through the numerous listening sessions, several themes emerged, including the need to reduce stigma, how everyone can help support recovery, and that mental health and substance use disorders can be likened to a storm.  “You will see the storm theme emerge throughout the show as we honor the feedback shared during the listening sessions,” said Frederic and Ronza.  Before the live performance, attendees can enjoy an art exhibit starting at 6p.m.  The art was selected by a jury panel for its excellence in artistic quality and its depiction of the Shape theme.  “We were impressed and moved by the artwork submitted and are sure attendees will be too,” said art juror Cierra Johnson. Artwork is also available for sale.  The event is being presented by Adult & Child Health. Matt Bane, Adult & Child Health, is working closely on the event said, “Having the privilege to be myself and share my personal story of my lived experience with having multiple mental health diagnoses and a substance use disorder has provided me the amazing connection with the SHAPE event.” The organizers, Frederic and Ronza are passionate about issues of mental health and substance use disorders. Knowing the pain and impact on so many, and even the danger of these issues, Frederic and Ronza’s concern led them to collaborate with all of these amazing partners to produce Shape.  “We want people to leave with a willingness to do something, whether that be learning more, talking more, or empathizing more, our goal is to reduce stigma by bringing these issues to light through the power of the arts,” said Frederic and Ronza.  Click here to purchase tickets online.

Agency News

Mental Health America recognizes Adult & Child Health will Gold Bell Seal

Adult & Child Health received the national Gold-level Bell Seal certification from Mental Health America, which recognizes policies, practices and benefits supporting employee mental health and wellbeing.  Every year since 2019, Mental Health America has recognized employers for implementing policies and practices to improve employees’ mental health. Companies across all sectors undergo a 54-point evaluation that includes surveys of employees.  Adult & Child Health employs more than 600 people in southern Indiana, with areas of focus on behavioral health, primary care and treatment for substance use addictions.  “The work our team members perform on a daily basis is challenging, but they continue to live our mission of providing access to quality care for all who need it on a daily basis,” said Dr. Christine Negendank, Adult & Child Health Regional President and Chief Medical Office. “This recognition from Mental Health America is a testament to our team members and the work they do in order to make Adult & Child a great place to work.”  Part of Adult & Child’s recognition comes from a three-pronged strategy to address employee mental health:  1) Adult & Child’s employee assistant program provides mental health services, including short-term counseling and provider referrals. The average time between an employee inquiry and their first session with a provider is five business days. The EAP program provides up to five free in-person or virtual therapy sessions.  2) The HOPE Taskforce is a safe place for non-managerial staff members to convene to discuss work stressors, life stressors, mental health resources and coping strategies in a space that encourages colleagues to support one another.  3) The GROW committee is for leaders to convene and develop support systems for one another.  Mental Health America is the nation’s leading national nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of mental health, well-being, and illness prevention. Its Bell Seal awards recognize an average of fewer than 300 American companies per year.

Sarah Miller, PMHNP-BC

Sarah Miller works with the addictions team, general psychiatry for adolescents and adults, and the competency restoration team. She is board-certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her specialties are working in addictions and with people who experience serious mental illness.

Miller graduated from Indiana University with a psychology degree and went back to school for nursing. She received her nursing degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and worked in a nursing home and also spent time working in a group home with adolescents. She received her master’s degree from Vanderbilt University.

She enjoys hanging out with her family and her two dogs, and going to sporting events.

Joanna Chambers, MD

Dr. Joanna Chambers is a psychiatrist who began seeing Adult & Child Health patients in November 2021. She graduated from Medical College of Georgia with her Doctorate of Medicine in 1996 and completed her residency in psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. In addition to bringing a wealth of experience, she currently serves as an associate professor at Indiana University School of Medicine where she teaches Clinical Psychiatry. She is certified in Addiction Medicine and has a special interest in treating pregnant and postpartum women. She is President of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry Organization as well as a sitting member of many medical association boards. Recently, she has won the Residents’ Award for Teaching Excellence in 2020 from Indiana University and has received “Best Doctors Award” in 2010, 2011, and 2014. Dr. Chambers is incredibly active in the medical, academic, and research realms of medicine. She is currently accepting new patients on Wednesdays.