> SOUTHERN INDIANA —
The Southern Indiana United Way is going beyond the more than 40 agencies it funds by funding two programs through its Targeted Investment program.
One of these programs provides psychiatry care for Southern Indiana youth and the other offers financial literacy for community residents.
“The Floyd County Youth Services Bureau asked the United Way’s Floyd County Community Solutions Committee for funding to purchase equipment for telemedicine services,” Leah Pezzarossi, executive director of the Floyd County Youth Services Bureau, said. “We have a major need for psychiatric services for youth in the area.”
The United Way provided $5,000 for the purchase of equipment to help implement the telemedicine service. This service will offer area youth in need of psychiatric care video conferencing appointments with psychiatrists from Bloomington Meadows Hospital. This will increase the quality and quantity of psychiatric care to youth as well as keep travel to a minimum and avoid long waiting lists. This service is open to all the Southern Indiana counties United Way serves, but is not a free service. Patients’ Medicaid and insurance companies will be billed by Bloomington Meadows.
“Our hope is to keep kids from going into the hospital,” Pezzarossi said. “And from being re-hospitalized. We want their psychiatric issues to be dealt with while they are still at home.”
The appointments will take place at the Floyd County Youth Services Bureau. They will start out allotting a few hours to this service and increase as necessary. Pezzarossi said within the first year the goal for the telemedicine services is to keep 85 percent of Southern Indiana youth out of the hospital.
“We also hope this helps kids stay in school,” Pezzarossi said. “We hope it keeps them from being suspended, expelled or sent home for negative behavior.”
Another service being funded through the United Way’s Targeted Investments program is the Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition’s Financial Literacy Program. The United Way provided the SIABC with $4,500 to increase financial learning through financial education and coaching for Clark County. With this money the SIABC will acquire the services of Gwen Lauer, certified financial social worker and encouragement coach trainer. Lauer will provide financial education and training to participants.
This education will allow the SIABC to offer three coaching programs, three financial education workshops and provide individual and couples counseling for 26 working individuals or families.
“We can give people the information and knowledge they need to be in control of their finances,” Whitney Bishop, SIABC executive director, said. “This will lead to reduced stress, a sense of empowerment and puts people in a better position to take advantage of opportunity. We are not born with knowing how to handle our finances. People have to be taught.”
Along with counseling, education and coaching programs the SIABC also offers free tax preparation at tax time. With more than 30 volunteers, the agency provides this service to area residents who are available for the Earned Income Tax Credit or have a yearly income less than $50,000.
“Many people are not aware of the tax credits they are available for,” Bishop said. “We raise that awareness and we put money back in their pockets by not charging tax preparation fees and encouraging them to get their money directly from the IRS. About $450 to $600 goes back into their pocket which goes back into the economy.”
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