Learning to Focus on Personal Needs First
Mary* has been a client with CCB since 2018. Her family and work in the community have been her focus all her adult life. An abrupt change happened when Mary experienced a severe physical health crisis that intertwined with a severe emotional health crisis. These events left her life and ecosystem forever changed. For the first time, Mary was challenged to focus on herself and her own survival, growth, and progress. Mary came to CCB to work on processing her grief and severe feelings of loss. Mary started using trauma-based therapeutic interventions, like EMDR, to reduce the emotional stress response associated with her life challenges. Mary consistently attended therapy to explore negative core beliefs that had developed in her life and worked on increasing her feelings of self-worth. Therapy has been a safe space to feel, think and process for Mary and she has made incredible progress. She has found positive things in her circumstances, increased her confidence, and has set forward on a path that still allows her to serve others while honoring her goals and truths. Mary continues to fulfill her deep values of service to her family, friends, and her community. Her resilience and commitment to healing has led to the success she's experiencing, and she is ready to face any new life challenges.

*Name changed to protect privacy.
CCB Works to Serve Rural Areas
Folks living in rural areas face many barriers in accessing health care, most notably transportation and access to high-speed internet. Before the pandemic, providing mental health therapy via virtual Telehealth had been a dream for CCB. However, COVID-19 expedited this vision, and the federal and state governments, along with insurance companies, quickly created more flexibility in how therapists can provide services, opening the door for virtual therapy sessions. The shift to virtual therapy has most impacted families and individuals living in rural areas who struggled to make it into the office for sessions due to lack of transportation or difficulty in making the long commute. Infrastructure for broadband internet was fast-tracked in rural areas, benefiting our clients through access to more reliable internet.
 
These adaptations represent a key moment in working towards better serving the rural communities surrounding Monroe County. Right now, government and clinical agencies are focused on making mental health services more readily available for folks. CCB is embracing these changes by continuing our virtual Telehealth therapy option for clients. Expect to hear more from us in the future on new developments in programming and outreach for rural communities. What an opportunity to transform the challenges of the pandemic into creative solutions for expanding access to mental health care!
CCB Continues to Use Mental Health Assessment Technology
In 2019, CCB partnered with Brian D’Onofrio, Director of Clinical Training at Indiana University’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, to pilot a program designed to enhance client mental health initial assessments. D’Onofrio and his team developed an online survey (CAT-MH or K-CAT test) that both adults and children complete before their initial assessment with a therapist. CAT-MH tests are completed by adults and can be tailored to screen for specific conditions such as suicidality, depression, anxiety, etc. K-CAT tests can be tailored in the same way for children. CCB participated in the trial to test this technology along with IU Health Riley Physicians Pediatrics and other health care offices. According to former Clinical Director O’Connell Case and D’Onofrio, this form of statistical, evidence-based assessment, paired with human interaction and evaluation, provides a more comprehensive picture of a client’s mental health. This model is the way of the future. Along with the CAT-MH or K-CAT screening and interview with a clinician, clients self-report on how they are doing, which adds three layers to the assessment. Insurance companies are quickly becoming interested in this statistical assessment of clients as it gives the most accurate picture and informs optimal treatment plans and outcomes. 
 
The pilot went very well for CCB staff, therapists, and clients, and we are pleased to announce the continued use of these screening tools for all in-person initial assessments. For first appointments, clients and their guardians will arrive early to our office to complete their assessment. This will allow time for the results to be uploaded and shared with the evaluating therapist before the appointment. Following the first meeting, a client will complete a new CAT-MH or K-CAT every 90 days to help their therapist develop the best possible treatment plan. We hope that this new method allows us to better serve the needs of our clients, ensuring nothing is overlooked. We are grateful to partner again with Brian D’Onofrio and Adaptive Testing Technologies for this incredible tool!
Check Out Our YouTube Channel
Did you miss our introduction of new Clinical Director, Michael Stribling? Head over to our YouTube channel to watch a brief introduction. You will also find some great coping and parenting tips. Find us at CCB Mental Health Services
Catholic Charities Bloomington Golf Scramble
Date: Friday, October 15th, 2021
Time: 1:00pm Start
Location: Cascades Golf Club
Details: Teams will be playing a 9-hole best ball scramble. Prizes will be awarded for lowest team score, longest putt, longest drive, & closet to the pin. Green fees, cart, swag bag and heavy hors d'oeuvres included. More information and registration can be found here.

Archdiocese of Indianapolis Legacy Gala
Date: Friday, February 25th, 2022  
Time: 6:00pm 
Location: JW Marriott Indianapolis 
Details: The second annual Archdiocese of Indianapolis Legacy Gala benefitting Catholic Charities, Catholic Schools and Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary. The honoree for this year will be Monsignor Paul Koetter.
Support Catholic Charities - Leave a Legacy 
Have you considered how a planned gift to Catholic Charities Bloomington can impact lives for years to come? Including Catholic Charities Bloomington in your will continues your ability to serve our mission of providing help and creating hope to those in need. To learn more about how you can plan a lasting gift through legacy planning, contact Director of Major and Planned Gifts, Kim Pohovey at 317-236-1568 or kpohovey@archindy.org.
For More Information
To inquire about Catholic Charities Bloomington, contact Michael Stribling at mstribling@ccbin.org
To inquire about donating to Catholic Charities Bloomington, contact Cheri Bush at cbush@archindy.org
Provide Mental Health Services
Help Catholic Charities by shopping for groceries at no extra cost to you!

1. Register your Kroger Plus Card at Kroger.com/communityrewards (if you do not have one, they are available at the Customer Service desk at any Kroger).
2. Click on "Sign In" or "Create an Account".
3. Search for "Catholic Charities Bloomington" or enter CL196.
4. Click "enroll".