A&C Supports 115 Central Indiana Schools
Over the past 5-7 years, school districts and Community Mental Health Centers have worked very closely to better serve the behavioral health and social needs of the families and students in our community. In recent years, evidence has demonstrated the remarkable impact early identification and intervention can have upon lifelong illnesses like mental illness. Adult and Child Center has been very proactive in working with communities and schools to increase access to services in their communities and school based partnerships are a great example of A&C’s willingness to innovate. Currently, Adult and Child Center has clinical staff (Therapists and Skills Development Specialists) embedded in 115 Central Indiana Schools. These staff are working with youth and families who demonstrate “at-risk” behaviors, struggle with emotional challenges which interfere with their ability to learn, or are otherwise identified as someone who might benefit from additional support. A&C staff work with teachers, school counselors, primary care physicians, and family support networks to teach families appropriate parenting, communication, and behavior management techniques. These services have made remarkable impact on the students and families they support. 96% of surveyed school staff believe A&C services have a positive impact on the school environment 91% of school staff would recommend A&C services to another school 85% of parents report learning how to work with the school on meeting the social, emotional and educational needs of their child 90% of parents report learning how to meet any behavioral or emotional needs of their child that might limit his or her ability to succeed in school 89% of parents report feeling better equipped to handle emotional / behavioral needs of their child. 87% of parents report seeing positive behavioral changes in their children since working with Adult and Child Center 95% of parents report they would recommend Adult and Child Center services to another family.
Bob Dunbar retiring after 20 years at A&C; Board Appoints New CEO
Adult and Child Center’s Board of Directors is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Allen Brown to the position of Chief Executive Officer. He is succeeding Bob Dunbar, who is retiring after 20 years as CEO. Mr. Brown is currently the CEO of Unison Behavioral Health in Waycross, Georgia – an 8-county, $19M non-profit community behavioral health organization serving over 6,000 individuals per year through a broad continuum of CARF-accredited mental health, substance abuse, supportive housing, supportive employment, and developmental disability services. Mr. Brown’s professional affiliations include: the Georgia Association of Community Service Boards, the Medical Directors’ Interest Group (serving as the CEO Liaison and as a member of the Education and Training Committee), the Georgia Information Technology Consortium (serving as Vice Chair), and the Ware County Children’s Initiative (as a member of the Board of Directors). His efforts as a founding member of UserVoice, the national users group for Qualifacts EMR customers, earned him a 2013 CareLogic Community Leadership Award. Mr. Brown’s professional experience spans behavioral healthcare roles from frontline clinician to CEO. He began his work as a shift charge direct care worker in an adolescent inpatient psychiatric program. He spent the next fifteen years working in diverse roles from child abuse/neglect investigator to clinical coordinator for a girls’ outdoor adventure program. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Mr. Brown has worked with children, adults, and families across the continuum of care including leadership positions in behavioral health managed care in Texas, as well as a Quality Improvement Director and Chief Operating Officer in Colorado before taking the CEO position in Georgia. Committed to all facets of behavioral healthcare, Mr. Brown’s career has been focused on service excellence and innovation, the integration of best practices and technology, risk management and compliance, financial viability and the development and support of every organization’s most important asset – its staff. Mr. Brown received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas and his Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from the University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, Texas. Adult and Child Mental Health Center, a 501(c)3, has provided decades of quality behavioral health services to residents of Marion, Johnson, and surrounding counties. Adult and Child has achieved state and national recognition as a leader in the provision of evidence based practices (EBPs) for adults. They provide a full array of mental health services to adults and children including a very successful transitional living program and a growing therapeutic foster care program serving abused and neglected children. Last year Adult and Child served over 5,600 unique individuals.
A&C offers FREE myStrength membership – the health club for your mind
Adult and Child Center is very excited to announce our partnership with myStrength to help the Greater Indianapolis community better track and self-manage their mental health. A&C has supported the mental health needs of the community since 1949 and we have long believed that education and prevention are critical aspects of mental health. This technology allows consumers, family members, and everyone else the opportunity to learn about and track your personal mental health trends in a manner which is tailored to your personal interests. myStrength is like a personal trainer for your mental health – but FREE! And we are confident you will enjoy it.
Bob Dunbar receives IARCA Excellence in Service award
Last week, Bob Dunbar, CEO of Adult and Child Center was given the Excellence in Service award by the Indiana Association of Resources and Child Advocacy (IARCA). Bob was nominated for the considerable impact his work has made on the industries of child mental health and child welfare. Please join us in congratulating Bob Dunbar and thanking him for his decades of dedication toward improving the lives of those who experience mental illness.
