By Steve Howell, CEO, Northeastern Center
Mental health isn’t “political,” but the field of mental health is largely impacted by politics.
That’s why it’s important for Northeastern Center, a non-profit Community Mental Health Center (CMHC), to have strong partnerships with leaders at all levels of government, but especially at the state level.
In Indiana, CMHCs like Northeastern Center receive a small amount of public tax funding. More importantly, we operate largely within parameters established by state legislation. That means Indiana state senators and representatives are often key to helping us make changes in the mental health system.
In my work as CEO of Northeastern Center and, in recent years, board chair of the Indiana Council of Mental Health Centers, I’ve made many treks to the Indiana Statehouse and had countless meetings with legislators. No matter our political views, we always had one agenda: Improve the mental health of Hoosiers.
That said, I almost always had an ask of each elected official. So I wanted to do something in return: Show my gratitude for their work. So here is a list (alphabetical by last name) of what I’ve seen each one do to help Northeastern Center, and our communities.
Rep. David Abbott appreciates local quality-of-life topics. He listens to and takes interest in education and behavioral healthcare issues.
Sen. Liz Brown champions healthcare-related issues, including behavioral healthcare, and she understands the importance of treatment and recovery. She supports innovative programs and holds programs to accountable outcomes. She has been easily accessible and takes time to understand details.
Sen. Sue Glick seeks input on important legislation and is always willing to learn and support behavioral healthcare issues. Born and raised in northeast Indiana, she places northeast Indiana residents first.
Rep. Tony Isa toured our Community Health and Outreach Center (CHOC) in 2026 to discuss new legislation and its impact on behavioral healthcare. He helps connect parties around similar interests through networking.
Sen. Tyler Johnson, an emergency room physician, is an excellent patient advocate and longtime supporter of behavioral healthcare, especially in the crisis care space. He is easily accessible, willing to hear all sides of issues, and wrote a letter of support for NEC to join phase two of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) expansion in November of 2025.
Rep. Ben Smaltz toured CHOC and discussed the important role the facility plays in helping local law enforcement manage mental health emergencies, in lieu of unnecessary jail visits. A former NEC Board member, Smaltz is always responsive to inquiries and available, whether in northeast Indiana or at the statehouse.
This list isn’t an endorsement, but rather an acknowledgement of the work these legislators have done.
And, the work isn’t over. As we approach the next legislative cycle, mental health care will continue to be a pivotal issue at the statehouse. Indiana is at a crossroads as we determine our commitment to the CCBHC model. Across the state, CMHCs like Northeastern Center have already invested not only funds, but invaluable time and effort into this model, which is proven to provide better client outcomes and lower the cost of care.
We appreciate all the work that legislators on both sides of the aisle have done to improve mental health care in our communities. And we hope that they will continue to back Northeastern Center, and other mental health providers, as we build a better care delivery system for Indiana.
