News

Indiana Health Workforce Summit 2026

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 Z

Event Information

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Location: Indiana Government Center South

Address: 302 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

About the Event

The Indiana Health Workforce Summit, hosted by the Indiana Department of Health, will bring together leaders and stakeholders from across Indiana’s health workforce sector to address critical challenges and opportunities facing the healthcare community. This full-day convening is designed to support informed dialogue, collaboration, and strategic planning to strengthen the state’s healthcare system.

Agenda

Time	Session and Speaker
9:00 – 9:30 a.m.	Check-In and Registration
9:30 – 10:00 a.m.	Welcome and Level-Setting the Past Work of the Health Workforce Council
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.	Panel Discussion on the Council Recommendations
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	Working Lunch and Keynote on Rural Health Transformation
12:00 – 3:00 p.m.	Breakout Sessions on Selected Rural Health Transformation Initiatives

Additional Information

Watch here for further updates, including parking information and event materials.

For questions, please reach out to bowenctr@iu.edu.

Bowen Center and The Pew Charitable Trusts Continue Partnership to Advance Suicide Prevention Workforce Policy Research

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 Z

The Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy is proud to announce our continued partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts on a new initiative focused on suicide prevention policy. This collaboration builds on shared efforts to strengthen the Suicide Care and prevention health workforce and improve care delivery through evidence-based policy analysis.

The project will examine how state-level policies and programs, including training requirements, staffing ratios, workforce incentives, and liability protections, impact the implementation of suicide prevention services in acute care settings. Through state policy case studies and key informant interviews, the Bowen Center will assess policy design, implementation, and outcomes, offering practical considerations for improving the workforce providing Suicide Prevention services and care.

This announcement coincides with Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and promoting action to reduce suicide risk. By continuing this partnership, the Bowen Center and Pew aim to inform policy decisions that address workforce barriers and enhance suicide prevention efforts nationwide. The Bowen Center remains committed to supporting data-driven strategies that empower health professionals and improve access to quality care in Suicide Prevention.

Dr. Brittany Daulton Named Associate Director of the Bowen Center

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 00:00:00 Z

The Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Brittany Daulton to Associate Director. Dr. Daulton has served as a Faculty Fellow at the Bowen Center since 2023, where she has contributed significantly to research and policy initiatives aimed at strengthening Indiana’s health workforce. In her new role, Dr. Daulton will help lead the Bowen Center’s strategic direction, support stakeholder engagement, and advance data-driven policy development. Her background in evaluation science, research methodology, and translation position her well to help guide the Bowen Center’s mission of informing policy and aligning initiatives to improve health outcomes across Indiana. This promotion reflects Dr. Daulton’s dedication to interdisciplinary collaboration, evidence-based research, and public service. The Bowen Center looks forward to her continued leadership in addressing the complex challenges facing Indiana’s health workforce.

Follow the links below to learn more about Dr. Daulton.

IU Faculty Page

Bowen Center Awarded Major Grant to Address Behavioral Health Workforce Challenges

Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 Z

The Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy is delighted to announce that our organization has received a significant grant to develop national recommendations for strengthening the behavioral health and substance use workforce.

The $592,338 award from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) will fund a comprehensive 50-state policy review and stakeholder engagement process aimed at creating a first-of-its-kind national framework for behavioral health paraprofessional roles.

“This framework aims to address the critical gap in service access for individuals suffering from opioid use disorder by recommending best practices for training, credentialing and reimbursement based on lessons learned from states with formalized roles,” said Bowen Center Director Hannah L. Maxey, PhD, MPH, RDH.

The grant was one of only four awarded through FORE’s Innovation Challenge Program, which supports new solutions to difficult issues related to the opioid and overdose crisis.

This initiative builds upon the Bowen Center’s Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce, published in 2024 with support from Lilly Endowment Inc., keeping the ball rolling on mental and behavioral health workforce research.

The Bowen Center will release more details about this exciting project in the coming weeks and months, so stay tuned! For more information, visit: https://medicine.iu.edu/news/2025/05/bowen-center-fore-grant-lilly-endowment

Introducing the Bowen Center Interim Report July 2024 - January 2025

Thu, 08 May 2025 00:00:00 Z

The Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy at Indiana University is pleased to share its interim report to the Indiana Department of Health covering activities from July 2024 through January 2025.

This report provides an overview of the Center’s efforts to support data-driven health workforce planning and policy across Indiana and highlights ongoing initiatives which focus on health workforce data collection, analysis, and stakeholder collaboration. The report also reflects the Center’s continued commitment to producing actionable insights and engaging key partners to inform health workforce development and decision-making.

Through its work, the Bowen Center aims to ensure that Indiana’s health workforce is aligned with the needs of communities statewide. This interim report is intended to provide transparency on progress to date. We invite you to review the full report below to learn more.

Bowen Center Releases 2024 Annual Report: Multiplying Impact

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:00:00 Z

The Bowen Center’s newly released 2024 Annual Report showcases a year of significant achievements in health workforce research and policy. Highlights include completing the Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce, assessing Indiana’s EMS workforce, and finalizing a three-year direct care workforce project.

Under Dr. Hannah Maxey’s leadership, the Center has enhanced its data collection partnerships with state agencies while expanding its communication strategy to ensure research reaches decision-makers who need it most.

With a combination of funding from public and private sources, the Center produced 63 publications, delivered 22 presentations, and saw significant increases in website and social media engagement in 2024, solidifying its role as Indiana’s premier resource for health workforce planning.

The report also features testimonials from partners including Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and Indiana Professional Licensing Agency Executive Director Lindsay Hyer, who emphasize the Center’s crucial role in transforming workforce data into evidence-based solutions for healthcare access challenges across the state.

Download the full report here or read it in full below:

Bowen Director Dr. Hannah Maxey featured in article on tax credits for preceptors

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 Z

Indiana’s Health Workforce Council is exploring an approach to strengthen rural health care training: a tax credit for health care providers who mentor students through clinical preceptorships. Bowen Center Director Dr. Hannah Maxey was recently quoted in IPB News discussing the possible tax credit program for health care mentors.

“It is critically important for states that are developing tax credit programs to clearly define the program, goals and metrics before and prior to developing it,” Maxey notes. Her research indicates these programs typically serve better as retention tools for existing clinical preceptors rather than recruiting new ones.

Want to learn more about Maxey’s insights on program design, retention impacts, and fiscal considerations? Read the full story at IPB News.

The Bowen Center recently published a policy brief on exactly this subject, read more here or in the brief below:

Bowen Assistant Director shares experience in leadership program in new article

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:00:00 Z

We’re excited to share that Courtney Medlock, MPH, Assistant Director of Policy and Strategy at the Bowen Center, has been featured in a recent Indiana University School of Medicine article for her outstanding community engagement.

The article, “Emerging Leaders program offers professional development, connection for School of Medicine staff,” showcases Courtney’s impressive achievements:

Recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Community Engagement Award from IU School of Medicine
Leadership in collaborative projects with state agencies
Valuable contributions during the Emerging Leaders program
Strategies for effective team management during the pandemic

Courtney’s feature underscores the Bowen Center’s commitment to community-focused research and policy work. Her success exemplifies how our staff actively contributes to the well-being of our community.

Read the full article to learn more about Courtney’s impactful work and the Emerging Leaders program’s role in developing community-focused leaders.

Bowen Director Dr. Hannah Maxey Receives Faculty Award for Community Engagement

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:00:00 Z

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Hannah L. Maxey, Director of the Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research & Policy, has been recognized by Indiana University’s Department of Family Medicine in the IU School of Medicine with a faculty award for her “Outstanding Commitment to Community Engagement and Service.” This prestigious honor, made even more significant by her nomination from colleagues and fellow faculty members, highlights Dr. Maxey’s exceptional contributions to the field of health workforce research in policy, both at home in Indiana and beyond.

Dr. Maxey’s recognition stems in part from her pivotal role in spearheading the recent “Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce,” a comprehensive initiative aimed at addressing critical workforce shortages in mental and behavioral health across Indiana. This strategic roadmap, developed under Dr. Maxey’s leadership, brings together insights from academic institutions, policymakers, and healthcare providers to create actionable recommendations for strengthening Indiana’s mental and behavioral health workforce pipeline. The Playbook, rooted in extensive research and data-driven insights conducted by the Bowen Center, identifies key challenges and opportunities within the workforce pipeline.

Dr. Maxey’s work exemplifies the Bowen Center’s dedication to community-focused research and policy development. Her efforts are poised to make a significant difference in addressing Indiana’s mental health workforce challenges, with the ultimate goal of improving access to mental and behavioral health services for Hoosiers across the state.

We congratulate Dr. Maxey on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to the continued positive impact of her work on Indiana’s healthcare landscape. Her leadership and dedication serve as an inspiration to us all and reinforce the importance of community engagement in driving meaningful change in public health.

Bowen in the News: All Indiana counties have a mental health workforce shortage. A new report provides solutions

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:00:00 Z

The Bowen Center’s Playbook for tackling Indiana’s mental health workforce crisis is featured in a new article from WFYI Indianapolis.

The opening paragraph of the story sums up the crisis in Indiana well:

Over 1 million adults in Indiana have a mental health condition, and 345,000 of adults who need mental health care don’t receive it. Statistics are also bleak for children. Suicide is the leading cause of death among adolescents in the state and 54% of Indiana kids aged 12–17 who have depression did not receive any care in the last year.

Bowen Director Dr. Hannah Maxey sat down for an interview with WFYI reporters to go in-depth on our concrete plan for tackling the issue head-on.

“Not all of our workforce provides services to Medicaid beneficiaries,” said Hannah Maxey, lead author of the report and director of Indiana University’s Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy. “So even in a county where we might have seemingly enough professionals, that doesn’t mean that they’re available for the full population.”

Read the full article from WFYI here.

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. Our Playbook tackles that crisis head-on, offering concrete policy solutions to increase the number of mental health care workers in Indiana. Find out more here.

Inside Indiana Business: IU unveils Playbook to address mental health workforce shortage

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:00:00 Z

Bowen’s Playbook to tackle the crisis in Indiana’s mental health is gaining traction and getting attention around Indiana. Read this latest in this article from Inside Indiana Business:

The Indiana University School of Medicine’s Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy has developed a playbook of recommendations to boost the number of mental health professionals in the state.

Mental Health Workforce: ICCMHC commits to support the Playbook

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:00:00 Z

We are thrilled to announce that earlier this summer the Indiana Council of Community Mental Health Centers (ICCMHC) officially committed to supporting Bowen’s Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce. This endorsement marks a significant step forward in addressing the critical workforce challenges facing the mental health sector in Indiana. The ICCMHC’s commitment, announced on July 15, 2024, aligns perfectly with our mission to enhance the quality and accessibility of mental health services across the state.

Zoe Frantz, President & CEO of Indiana Council, emphasized the importance of this commitment, stating the following:

“Our commitment to the Bowen Health Workforce Playbook is a significant step towards ensuring that Indiana’s mental health workforce is prepared to meet the growing and evolving needs of our communities.”

Read their full press release here.

We are confident that this collaboration will lead to meaningful improvements in the availability and quality of mental health services throughout Indiana.

Together, we’re building a stronger, more resilient mental health workforce for Indiana.

Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette: New report details shortage of mental health professionals in Indiana

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:00:00 Z

Bowen’s Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce is getting attention in the press across Indiana. Check out this article from the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette:

Indiana has a shortage of mental health professionals, a situation a provider describes as a crisis, a report released Wednesday says. “The Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce” seeks to address that shortage by identifying opportunities and recommendations to strengthen the state’s pipeline of those professionals.

Christian Theological Seminary Highlighted in Mental Health Workforce Playbook

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 00:00:00 Z

We’re pleased to see Christian Theological Seminary (CTS) sharing their involvement in the Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce.

CTS’s unique model of integrating education, clinical experience, and community outreach was recognized as an institutional best practice in the Playbook.

Read CTS’s full post here.

To learn more about the Playbook and its strategies for addressing Indiana’s mental health workforce challenges, visit our Playbook home page.

Bowen Director Dr. Hannah Maxey provides expert testimony on strengthening the community and home-based care workforce to the U.S. Senate

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 Z

Bowen Director Dr. Hannah Maxey provided expert testimony to the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging on March 9, 2023. Her presentation focused on strengthening the home and community-based care workforce, a critical component of support for aging Americans. Dr. Maxey highlighted various state-led initiatives to improve home care services, including standardizing worker titles and training, implementing portable credentials, and enhancing wages and benefits.

Emphasizing the crucial role of states in this effort, Dr. Maxey stated, “States have a critical role in reinforcing the front line of our nation’s communities of care.” She stressed the importance of data collection to inform workforce planning and policy decisions, noting that “Data is the foundation of informed workforce policy.” Dr. Maxey also addressed the challenges faced by the workforce, including low wages and the potential loss of benefits as wages increase, known as the “benefits cliff.”

Reflecting on the universal importance of this issue, Dr. Maxey remarked, “Time waits for no man. The issues of the aging are the issues of us all.” She concluded by underlining the significance of the home care workforce in supporting seniors and the ongoing need for efforts to bolster this essential component of community care, saying, “At some point in our lives, many of us will rely on this workforce, for a loved one or even for ourselves.”

Read Dr. Maxey’s full testimony here

Watch Dr. Maxey’s testimony here on the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging website (begins around the 43:00 minute mark)