The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County will be hosting a free Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Conversations training. Oct. 3 at Johnson Memorial Hospital. Additional details and registration are at https://CALMConvo.eventbrite.com.
From the press release: “CALM Conversations focuses on access to highly lethal means and provides guidance on how to talk to your family member or friend in a collaborative, nonjudgmental, and supportive manner with the goal of reducing access to firearms and other lethal means when someone is at risk.”
Last week, Attorney General Todd Rokita was charged with disciplinary misconduct for his public comments about Dr. Caitlin Bernard.
Mike Schmuhl, chair of the Indiana Democratic Party.
Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl: “Why are Hoosier taxpayers being put on the hook to defend Todd Rokita’s personal law license? Every public official facing these charges in the past, including his predecessor, have paid for their own defense. Rokita, however, is running the bill for Washington D.C. lawyers through the Attorney General’s office. Beltway firm Schaerr Jaffe is poised to rake in up to $1.1 million in taxpayer dollars from Rokita’s witch hunt against Dr. Caitlin Bernard. Before Rokita’s witch hunt began, his campaign received $21,500 from the same law firm the AG’s office would hire. It’s unethical, immoral, and simply wrong. Rokita chose to go on FOX News and slander a medical professional, not anyone else. Hoosiers should not have to pay for Rokita’s actions against Dr. Bernard.
“Rokita has shown over and over that he does not have the temperament or judgment to be the people’s attorney. In 2024, Hoosiers can elect an AG that will end the wasteful spending, and harm that Rokita has brought upon our state and medical community.”
Mayor Joe Hogsett and local nonprofit Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) recently unveiled results from a recent study regarding the impacts of KIB’s AES Indiana Project Greenspace initiative. The study was led by the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
From the press release: “The analysis looked at 36 public spaces where once vacant or abandoned lots were transformed into vibrant community greenspaces, comparing them to 36 comparable, nearby sites where no improvements had been made. Additionally, factors such as median household income, age, access to transportation, ethnicity, and other social indicators were considered. Utilizing crime data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the study revealed a 12% reduction in gun violence within a half-mile radius when greenspaces were built in neighborhoods with community support. Overall, the number of total crimes in Indianapolis declined from approximately 50,000 in 2016 to 38,369 in 2021—a drop of over 22%.”
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett.
Mayor Joe Hogsett: “Our administration is working every single day to tackle the menace of gun violence in Indianapolis, leveraging new technologies, recruiting more officers and advocating for changes to misguided state policy. But we won’t be satisfied until we’ve used every tool in our toolbox. This study proves something we have long believed: investments in our neighborhoods—and specifically in greenspaces—can play an outsized role in making communities safer.”
Jeremy Kranowitz, KIB president and CEO: “At KIB, we believe there is immense power in coming together and making our communities cleaner, greener, and—with the numbers we see in this study—safer. We continue to focus efforts to improve quality of life, helping people and nature thrive. We’re delighted to expand our efforts throughout the city.”
Three hundred people are expected in Wabash Oct. 13 for a justice and health event at the Honeywell Center. The Rural Justice and Public Health Professionals Summit is open to justice stakeholders and healthcare partners from across the state. Registration is due Friday.
From the press release: “The Summit will address the unique challenges of justice and healthcare professionals in rural communities—including scarce resources, red tape, and isolation. Participants will learn about opportunities for collaboration, resources, and strategies to meet the needs of rural professionals. Session topics include: deinstitutionalization and the Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council; understanding the sequential intercept model” and more.
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana.
A bill to strengthen the VA Spina Bifida Program to benefit the children of Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives on a unanimous vote. The bill previously passed the Senate unanimously on July 13.
Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana: “This legislation will ensure that the children of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida due to a parent’s exposure to Agent Orange will get the care and benefits they deserve for the rest of their lives. I’m proud to have led this valuable bipartisan bill through the Senate and the House and look forward to it being signed into law for these veterans’ kids.”
