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Partnership Spotlight: Adult & Child Health and Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County

In response to the ever-present need for mental health support and resources among community youth, the Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County has expanded their partnership with Adult & Child Health (A&C) School-Based Services by integrating a Skills Support Specialist. With support from the Kendrick Foundation, this specialized role was developed by Clinical Supervisor Kelsey Balch, LMHC, A&C, and Senior Director of Youth Development Trista Ristau, Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County, as an innovative approach to support Morgan County youth.

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In January 2024, A&C’s Courtney Delehanty joined the Club’s 16 staff members as the new Skills Support Specialist and has since completed 102 group sessions and has connected with 210 individuals over the last year to address conflict resolution, emotional regulation and communication skills.

According to a report published by the CDC in 2023, 40% of teens nationwide reported experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, 19% were bullied, 9% were threatened or injured with a weapon at school, and 13% missed school due to safety concerns. Additionally, a research article published by ScienceAdvances in 2023 reported a “youth mental health crisis had reached unprecedented levels” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership between A&C and the Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County aims to improve these statistics by providing trauma-informed support, as well as mental health resources to the 110 youths served by the Club daily.

A&C is proud to play an integral role in the overall success of the Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County and is thrilled that the partnership has provided an opportunity to connect with more youth in the area. “I enjoy fostering this relationship because we lean on each other in this industry. We love this community and want to continue to build what works – and this works. Courtney makes a difference because she has the kids’ best interest at heart,” said Balch.

“Courtney’s consistency has been a key attribute in her ability to build strong, trusting relationships with the youth and staff the Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County. She has a very gentle and nonjudgmental way of approaching stressful situations, which is critical in connecting youth and families to mental health resources when needed,” said Director of Development at Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County Shane Williams. “Integrating Courtney into our team has also allowed Club staff to more effectively focus on their roles within the organization. The Skills Support Specialist role was really a missing piece to the puzzle.”  

A&C is excited to continue this trajectory with the Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County and is looking forward to serving youth through similar partnerships throughout Central Indiana moving forward.

About Adult & Child Health

Adult & Child Health, a Joint Commission accredited community mental health center and Federally Qualified Healthcare Center Look Alike in Central Indiana, strives for caring communities where all people can live healthy, purposeful lives. Services include behavioral health, primary care, social services, and addictions treatment, all of which are designed to provide quick, affordable, and efficient access to high quality care. Adult & Child Health is an affiliate and member organization of Brightli, a network of health providers across the Midwest. Please visit adultandchild.org for more information. 

This publication was supported by Grant Number KF24ACHMHI funded by the Kendrick Foundation. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Adult & Child Health and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Kendrick Foundation.

About Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County

The Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County is a comprehensive youth development organization operating in Morgan County, Indiana. Its primary focus is to help young people ages 6 to 18 reach their potential through programs focused on achieving academic success, good character and citizenship, as well as leading healthy lifestyles. Club members are provided with a broad range of activities and services including homework help, mentoring, sports and recreation programs, arts programs, access to computer technology, service and leadership clubs, and much more. Please visit bgcmorgan.com for more information.

This publication was supported by Grant Number KF2403 funded by the Kendrick Foundation. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Kendrick Foundation.

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Agency News

A&C 75th Anniversary and Irvington Clinic Grand Opening

Integrated health care is a concept that recognizes how a person’s physical health and behavioral health affect their overall wellness and quality of life. Adult & Child Health celebrated integrated health at a combined celebration of history and growth at its Irvington clinic in Indianapolis April 30.  The event served as both a 75th anniversary celebration for the Adult & Child Health organization, and as a grand opening for the clinic on Washington Avenue, which opened in early 2025.  Adult & Child operates three clinics in Indianapolis and one clinic in Franklin. At the Irvington clinic, primary care providers, psychiatric care providers and licensed therapists see patients in the same building.  “Our goal is to help people live happy and healthier lives and have them be able to succeed in whatever it means for them,” Dr. Christine Negendank, President and Chief Medical Officer at Adult & Child Health said. “Many of our patients have been stigmatized — even in the health care setting — so we are very careful to make sure everyone is welcome here, no matter their circumstance and no matter their level of illness.”  Clients of all ages come to the Irvington clinic for psychiatric and primary care. “Integrated care clients,” as they are called, can come to the Irvington clinic to have multiple needs addressed in one place. It’s a combination of providing the best practices and ease of care for each client.  “It’s so wonderful to see a patient who tells me, ‘I’m out of my blood pressure meds,’ or ‘I have a severe headache,’ and I can say, ‘Well, you know, we have primary care across the hall; why don’t we go get you connected?’” Negendank explained.  A client can get primary care, psychiatric care, therapy and connections to housing programs in a single trip to the Irvington clinic.  “They leave with so much more hope,” Negendank said. “We really try to make it easy for our patients when we can. We offer someone a safe place to come, to feel welcome, to leave feeling better and to leave feeling better about themselves.”  A&C offers addictions treatment at the Irvington clinic. Addictions treatment involves one-on-one therapy, medication assisted treatment (MAT), activities of daily living support, psychoeducation, peer recovery services and case management. The average wait time for a new patient to schedule their first appointment is less than three weeks.  Be Well Bell art installation  The Be Well Community movement is designed to ring in a new narrative about brain health through a variety of programs, including the public display of ceremonial bells that symbolize hope and healing. The bell in Indianapolis was unveiled to the public during Adult & Child’s 75th Anniversary event April 30. Be Well Initiatives works with community partners to bring visibility to the mental wellness movement. The Be Well Bell program offers blank bells to be painted with a meaningful design by an artist(s) or as a community arts project.    Brightli Director of Be Well Initiatives Bailey Pyle, LPC, explained that the art installation includes a QR code that smartphone users can scan to access information on the Be Well program and on mental health services available at Adult & Child in the Indianapolis metro area.  “These aren’t just bells that we’re creating and plopping down into a community, but they are truly reflective of the community in which they exist,” Pyle said. “We know from lots of research that that’s when the bells are the most impactful and meaningful.” The Be Well Bell at the Irvington clinic is the 21st for the program and the first Be Well Bell in Indiana.  Adult & Child Health’s history  Photo Gallery

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.