Need Help Now?
call (800) 560-4038 or (317) 574-1252
After-hours Medical Concerns
Call (877) 574-1254
Brooke Carey, Prevention and Outreach Coordinator for Aspire Indiana Health Kids Talk
Every day, I have the privilege of sitting across from children and helping them share some of the most painful experiences of their lives.
I want to paint a picture of what walking into Kids Talk feels like for them. I want you to picture a small pair of children’s shoes sitting across from you. Maybe they have velcro because the child doesn’t know how to tie their shoes. Maybe the shoes light up when they walk, maybe they have Spiderman or unicorns on them. Now picture the small child wearing them. Maybe she has pigtails with bows. Maybe he still has dirt on his knees from recess. They are sitting in a chair that is too big for them and they swing their feet because they can’t reach the ground. Maybe their hands are tightly folded together because that's the only way they can hold themselves together.
They have been told by everyone to “tell the truth”. But the “truth” is what's going to break their family apart. The “truth” is what's going to send someone to jail. The “truth” could turn into a process that takes years of investigations and trial. The “truth” can turn into hours sitting at the hospital waiting for a Sexual Assault exam.
The “truth” is hard to talk about , and it’s hard for us to hear, but it’s even harder for them to experience. The “truth” is absolutely terrifying for them. Terrified of not being believed. Terrified of getting someone in trouble, maybe even someone they love. Terrified that if they say those words out loud, it makes it real. And yet, they still speak.
They tell us about it. They tell us how their mom’s boyfriend sneaks into their room every night and what it feels like when he puts his hands on their body. They tell us what it sounded like to hear mom and dad hurting each other as they hid in the closet calling 9-1-1. They tell us what it smelled like when drugs filled their home.
Sometimes their voices are soft and gentle, maybe even a whisper. Sometimes their voices are loud and angry, because they have the right to be. Sometimes they are only able to draw it out or point at an anatomically correct drawing because they can’t bring themselves to actually say it.
Then the moment happens when they finish their story. You can visibly see the weight lift from their tiny shoulders. You can see their breaths become steady, see their legs stop shaking, feel the room get lighter. That is the moment that matters the most. That is the moment of relief that Kids Talk creates for these children. This is the moment that means the most to me.
Safety and healing do not happen by accident. They happen because of the people in this room. It takes time, training, coordination, and resources. It takes funding. Every second and dollar invested keeps that room safe and gives these children the strength to share their stories. The children who walk through Kids Talk’s doors are not just statistics…they’re real children…each one with a different story to tell. Kids are the future and we should feel obligated to ensure that they have safe spaces like Kids Talk to tell their stories. And because of you, they do not have to walk this path alone or unsupported.
Everyone in this room helps contribute to the feeling of Kids Talk. The feeling of comfort, the feeling of security, the feeling of being heard and that their stories will not go unnoticed. And for that I want to thank you all for coming and supporting Kids Talk in the work we do every day. Thank you.
Lauren's Story: My Journey Back
Lauren Edenburn’s recovery journey is a powerful testament to hope, healing, and the impact of compassionate care. After entering treatment with Aspire on August 1, 2024—following her last fentanyl use on June 19—Lauren committed deeply to Seeking Safety groups, EMDR individual therapy, peer support, recovery coaching, and MAT services through AIH while participating in Boone County Drug Court. She has maintained her sobriety, rebuilt meaningful relationships including with her mother, and secured full-time employment after entering the program jobless. Lauren speaks with genuine gratitude for Aspire’s supportive team, sharing how every service, including her primary care NP, helped her reclaim her life. She hopes her story inspires others to take the first step and begin their own healing journey with Aspire.
Browse the list below and discover all the different ways you can give to Aspire Indiana Health community programs!
Like you, Aspire believes that the best way to serve others, is to serve the whole person. It’s a weighty goal. But whether it’s administering whole health services to families, helping Hoosiers to work by providing employment assistance, or bringing mental health to our deaf clients, Aspire strives to integrate care.
We are meeting clients where they are, physically in the four counties we serve and beyond. By providing not just recovery services for our clients in addiction treatment facilities and recovery residences, but rather an entire continuum of care. By providing telehealth services to thousands of behavioral health clients without skipping a beat during the early days of the pandemic. By providing housing to some of Indiana’s most vulnerable.
As we have grown, we’ve done so with the needs of our clients at the forefront. Better outcomes? We know from experience it takes integrated care that is truly client-centered. But we can only achieve more with your help. Be a part of Aspire’s vision to expand our holistic, wrap-around approach to care that encompasses social determinants of health, for healthier Indiana families and communities.
To discuss Planned Giving opportunities such as bequests, trusts, and gifts of real estate, please contact Kasey Davis, Director of Philanthropy Strategy & Business Development at (317) 680-8816.
Notice: Any provided phone numbers will be used solely for Aspire's donor programs. We do not share or sell your information to any third parties or affiliates, including for marketing or promotional purposes. This policy specifically excludes text messaging originator opt-in data and consent, which will never be shared. You can easily opt-out of receiving further messages by replying STOP. For more information, reply HELP. Message frequency may vary, and standard message and data rates may apply. To review Aspire's Privacy Policy visit this link Privacy Policy.
