Faith leaders asking state to implement mental health care crisis plan
INDIANAPOLIS -- Faith in Indiana leaders from all across the state including St Joseph County say they want their message to be heard by state legislators on Friday at the Mental Health Summit in Indianapolis. They believe comprehensive mental health crisis care will saves in the future.
Faith leaders gathered on Thursday at the Indiana Convention Center, just a day ahead of the summit.
The message Save Our Siblings was pictured on a sign held by faith leaders who gathered Thursday at the Indiana Convention Center, just a day ahead of the summit.
One of the images included Dante Kittrell, the 51-year-old man who was threatening to take his own life when he was shot and killed by South Bend Police in August.
His death reignited the push for comprehensive mental health crisis care statewide.
“That was a really horrific experience for our community, a man who was visibly in crisis, suffered from schizophrenia," said Andre Stoner with Faith in Indiana. “His situation really highlights the need for this whole system.”
Faith leaders are calling on Governor Eric Holcomb and legislators to allocate $130 million for the implementation of the Behavioral Health Commission's report, which includes a system across the state that would provide anyone in need someone to call, someone to come and a safe place to go.
“There has been tremendous work here in Marion County, St. Joe County and Lake County and a number of other counties following the work that’s being done to get local crisis response systems," said Josh Reddick of the Black Church Coalition in Indianapolis. “There is a needed resource from the state to build that up, not just for the urban spaces that we organize in but our rural and suburban communities.”
Advocates hope the integrated system will ultimately help save lives.
“I believe that our community is in deep need and are struggling and we need mental health experts to meet people who have these types of issues such as addictions and mental health issues so they can get the help they need," said Dion Payne Miller of Faith in Indiana, St. Joseph County.
The mental health summit will be held at the Convention Center in Indianapolis Friday morning. It will include a special focus on the intersection of mental health and criminal justice.
Faith leaders also say they hope full funding for statewide crisis response is in place by next spring.