HRSA Honors Adult & Child Health
Adult & Child Health received three national honors from the Health Resources and Services Administration. Adult & Child received the Improving Health Center Access Badge, the Advancing Health IT for Quality Badge and the High Value Care Badge. Community Health Quality Recognition badges recognize Health Center Program awardees for making quality improvements in access, clinical quality, health outcomes and health information technology. The Improving Health Care Access Badge is given to organizations that increase the number of patients receiving treatment for mental health, substance use disorder or enabling services by at least five percent. Adult & Child Health provides primary health care, psychiatric care and addictions treatment at its clinics in Indianapolis and Franklin. Addictions treatment involves one-on-one therapy, medication assisted treatment (MAT), activities of daily living support, psychoeducation, peer recovery services and case management. The High Value Care Badge is awarded to organizations that achieve a specified quality of care score and keep cost growth for clients below 2.54 percent. The Advancing Health Information Technology for Quality Badge requires health centers to offer telehealth services and meet certain requirements for the use of information technology in providing care. Clinical quality measurement data comes from the Uniform Data System (UDS), a standardized reporting system used to assess the impact and performance of a health center program and promote data-driven quality improvement.
Highlights from National Health Center Week
National Health Center Week is a chance to highlight the vital role community health centers play in providing care, promoting wellness, and building stronger communities. Earlier this month, A&C celebrated with a mix of events for clients, partners, staff, and community members—each one a reflection of our mission in action. Thank you to our clients, partners, staff, and volunteers who made the week meaningful—we couldn’t do it without you. Patient & Client Appreciation Prize Drawing We began the week by celebrating the clients and patients who are at the center of all we do. Resource tables were set up at each clinic, where clients could connect with information about A&C’s services, grab some swag, and enter a prize drawing. Four lucky folks won smart watches that will help track health stats and wellness activities! Basic Needs & Resources: Community Event & Staff Donation Drive A&C also hosted a Basic Needs & Resources Day, serving 59 community members with connections to supportive health resources along with essential items such as snacks and hygiene products. A HUGE thanks goes out to our staff members who participated in the Homeless Resource Team Donation Drive that was launched in July to support this event. We received enough donations to serve everyone who attended the event and supply our Homeless Resource Team with a few extras! Coffee & Connections with Community Partners Several of our valued community partners joined our National Health Center Week celebrations during our Coffee & Connections gathering. Attendees met with leadership, learned more about our programs, and toured our 8320 Madison Avenue location. Strengthening these partnerships helps us continue meeting the needs of those we serve. Lunch & Learn Series: NAMI Hearts + Minds Our staff also had the opportunity to learn and grow by participating in NAMI Hearts + Minds, a training program designed to promote mental and physical wellness through education, self-care strategies, and peer support. A special thanks goes out to A&C Community Impact & Engagement Partner Matt Bane and School Based Support Specialist Ali Hickman for facilitating the series. A&C Staff Spirit Week & Prize Drawing Spirit Week brought out plenty of creativity and team spirit across Adult & Child Health – it was a fun way to celebrate together, learn a little more about each other, and highlight the energy our team brings to work every day. Folks who participated in the Lunch & Learn Series and Spirit Week were entered into a prize drawing. Congratulations to our winners, Brandon Todd, Taylor Pluntz, Amanda Brooks, Jen Sole, Senaidra Reynold, Dustin Thompson, and Lindi Newhard! National Health Center Week Photo Gallery Spirit Week: Mission Monday Spirit Week: Team Tuesday Spirit Week: When You Were Born Wednesday Spirit Week: Theatrical Thursday (characters from TV, movies, musicals or plays) Spirit Week: Flare Friday Basic Needs & Resources Day Coffee & Connections with Community Partners A few more photos just for fun!
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
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.
