Meridian Health Services’ President and CEO, Hank Milius, was one of several distinguished professionals invited from the healthcare and substance use treatment and prevention field to a roundtable discussion with State and Federal officials regarding mental health/addiction issues at the NeuroDiagnostic Institute (NDI) in Indianapolis on Sept. 27.
Joining Milius were Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, as well as Dr. Jerome Adams, Surgeon General of United States; Dr. Jennifer Sullivan, Director of Indiana Family and Social Services; Bryan Mills, CEO of Community Health Network; Jim McClelland, Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement; Katrina Norris, Superintendent of Richmond State Hospital; Matt Brooks, President/CEO of Indiana Council; and Dr. Jerry Sheward, Chief Medical Officer and Superintendent of NDI.
Dr. Sullivan extended an invitation to select notable professionals around the state to attend. The recent opening of the NeuroDiagnostic Institute (NDI) is a key component of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s initiative to modernize and reengineer Indiana’s network of state-operated mental health facilities. NDI will be Central Indiana’s state psychiatric hospital that will launch a new era of mental health care for the State of Indiana.
“This was an opportunity to have an open discussion with top officials regarding mental health and the advanced services that are being made available to treat those in need throughout the state,” said Milius.
Vice President Pence said, “We’ve seen a five percent reduction in opioid overdoses nationwide. But if the statistics hold, Indiana is looking at roughly a 12 percent reduction in deaths from opioid overdoses and is a tribute to the healthcare community in this state.”
Milius focused his remarks on Meridians’ Maternal Treatment Program (MTP) and its’ collaboration with local prosecutors, Department of Child Services, OB/GYN physicians, while treating over 100 mothers addicted to opioids in two years resulting in 21 babies born free from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS).
Milius also noted the plan to open MTP’s in communities in need throughout Indiana. Meridian currently has 6,000 patients in various addictions treatment programs throughout the state. Having opened Addictions and Recovery Centers (ARC) in two locations, Richmond and Lafayette, they also offer Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Meridian Heath Services has been specializing in mental health/addictions for over 40 years throughout Indiana in addition to its many outpatient clinics.
