by Zachary Ammerman | Feb 4, 2025 | Data, Presentations
The Bowen Center’s Assistant Director for Data and Research Sierra Vaughn recently spoke in a panel of experts on the intersection of addiction and policy. This was part of a webinar titled Reflections and Insight on Response to a Public Health Crisis: The Addictions Grand Challenge.
In her section of the panel she briefly outlined the various aspects of Bowen’s data-related work that intersects with addiction, addiction counseling, and behavioral health, providing a quick overview of the data landscape in Indiana on this critically important topic. The entire presentation is worth a watch, featuring contributions from several experts in the field.
Click here to watch the webinar on an external site (this link is timestamped to Sierra’s contribution).
Or you can watch the entire webinar below. (Sierra’s section begins at around the 26:33 minute mark).
by Zachary Ammerman | Sep 13, 2024 | Events, Presentations
Bowen Director Dr. Hannah Maxey
Bowen Director Dr. Hannah Maxey was the featured speaker at a CTS Talks event Sept. 12 at Christian Theological Seminary, giving a lecture on the intersection of faith communities and mental health. Her talk, titled “Mental Health: The Crisis and a Call to Action for People of Faith,” offered a timely discussion on the critical issue of mental health in America and its significant impact on individuals and communities of faith. Dr. Maxey explored how faith communities are uniquely positioned to respond to this crisis, challenging attendees to become ambassadors of love and hope.
CTS Talks is known for its TED Talk-style lectures that bring together intellectual curiosity and community reflection.
Related: Indiana’s mental health care is in crisis, with both real-life impacts on the everyday lives of millions of Hoosiers and for the long-term economic outlook of our state. Bowen has developed a mental health workforce Playbook that tackles that crisis head-on, offering concrete policy solutions to increase the number of mental health care workers in Indiana. To learn more about the Playbook and its strategies, visit The Playbook home page.
Watch her full presentation on CTS’s Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/kP1s5uIS7UU?si=X6oWGXlz6R-r52iF
Check out Dr. Maxey’s CTS presentation below:
by Zachary Ammerman | Aug 15, 2024 | Data, Events, Presentations
Bowen Assistant Director of Data and Research Sierra Vaughn
Bowen’s Assistant Director of Data and Research Sierra Vaughn gave a presentation on rural health care in Indiana to the Indiana Rural Health Association on August 1.
Mirroring national trends, rural health care in Indiana faces significant challenges. The state has seen hospital closures, with 52 rural hospitals remaining as of 2024, and 25% of open hospitals experiencing service reductions. Workforce shortages are acute, particularly in mental health, where rural areas have two-thirds fewer behavioral health professionals than urban areas. Additionally, 35 Indiana counties lack a birthing hospital, impacting maternal care access. These issues are compounded by broader rural health disparities, including slower life expectancy increases and higher mortality rates for conditions like heart disease and cancer compared to urban areas.
Read more about the challenges faced by rural hospitals in Indiana and nationwide as well as potential solutions in Vaughn’s presentation here:
