WISE Indiana (Wellbeing Informed by Science and Evidence in Indiana)
A partnership between the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute’s Monon Collaborative and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) to engage Indiana’s nationally-recognized academic experts to evaluate and inform Indiana practices, programs and policies. This partnership aligns with and furthers the visions of both organizations by facilitating timely, high-quality evidence-informed research, evaluation and analysis to the benefit of all Hoosiers.
Current Projects
The WISE Indiana partnership supports a part-time medical research librarian to conduct comprehensive searches of the scientific literature and prepare annotated bibliographies in response to key questions from FSSA divisions and business units. This task order directly supports FSSA’s vision of evidence-informed decision making.
The Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning’s (OMPP) coverage and benefits team receives inquiries to add services, tests, and procedures to the Indiana Health Coverage Programs. WISE Indiana collaborated with this team to provide literature reviews and expert consultation as requested to help inform coverage decisions.
The OMPP Coverage and Benefits team is utilizing experts in dental medicine to provide as-needed guidance to OMPP on coverage decisions and other dental requests. These dentists also serve as OMPP representatives on the statewide Dental Advisory Committee.
OECOSL is engaging Purdue University’s Center for Early Learning to identify key ingredients of high-quality preschool programs in Indiana, and to assess evidence based curricular use in a broad spectrum of early care and education programs.
As a part of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) behavioral health workforce (BHWF) recruitment and retention innovation grant program, WISE will be leading efforts to convene a Community of Practice (CoP) for BHWF strategic development and identification of promising practices. Each awardee will be required to participate in the CoP. The CoP will share resources, provide helpful information related to successful work being done in other regions and states, and collect data that can inform scalable strategies demonstrated by membership.
Indiana FSSA Division of Aging (DA) plans to improve the data, analyses, and evidence base available for informed decision-making regarding nutrition and health for older adults. Through this project, FSSA DA will develop an improved understanding of nutritional and health needs of Hoosiers, including gaps and disparities. FSSA DA will have ready access to data for decision-making and program development through dashboards and reports.
This project aims to address the increasing rate of suicide attempts among Black youth in Indiana by implementing an equitable, trauma-informed, person-centered continuum of crisis and suicide care. The project will be completed with three aims: (1) to understand the current landscape of resources and treatment needs among Black communities across Indiana; (2) to identify evidence-based and community/peer-based practices that contribute to the prevention and resolution of suicide risk and mental health crises among Black youth; and (3) to identify how Aim 1 and Aim 2 align with Indiana’s crisis continuum initiatives. The project will result in an action plan of recommendations focused on overdose, suicide, and mental health crisis prevention and response, and creation of an overall statewide pre-crisis plan for Black youth that is trauma informed, person centered, and equitable.
Past Projects
The WISE Indiana COVID-19 Rapid Response Team was developed to assist in the Indiana Department of Health’s need for rapid and evidence-informed responses to complex questions about the pandemic and best practices for state response. This project facilitated rapid response and access to relevant and emerging evidence-based information for state personnel, healthcare providers and systems, managed care entities, community organizations, and all others.
The Expert Response to Key Questions and Expert Reviews of Relevant and Emerging Literature pages have been archived and are accessible via the links below. Please note that information on these pages are maintained for archival use only and may not be up-to-date.
Indiana Community Connect (ICC) is a web-based referral platform housed within Indiana 2-1-1 designed to help community organizations refer clients to needed services and help residents find social services. WISE Indiana was asked to participate in the pilot program and provide recommendations for statewide community based organization engagement due to our expertise in community engagement through the numerous community engagement programs that Indiana CTSI has developed and participates in.
Changes to Indiana’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were made in response to the increased need for food assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. This increased need was driven in part by job loss as well as the closure of local food pantries and other sources of food assistance. To guide future program and policy decisions, WISE was asked by SNAP program administrators to evaluate whether and how the recent programmatic changes have achieved the goal of increased food access in Indiana.
WISE Indiana assisted DMHA to help simplify and synthesize the data collection process. The goal was to reduce administrative burden for providers and increase capacity for client care. Additionally, it was a crucial first step in assisting DMHA to create a data strategy that will drive the initiative for all mental health and Substance Use Disorder treatment providers in the state to be data-driven in their practices.
The DA was interested in implementing an innovative model to address the unmet needs of family caregivers. To better understand what supports are needed for aging individuals experiencing social isolation and caregiver burn-out, the DA collaborated with WISE Indiana and AARP to conduct a consumer survey targeting a diverse population of caregivers for individuals 55 and older.
As part of FSSA’s long-term services and supports reform project, WISE Indiana assisted with implementing and analyzing responses to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey. Responses from consumers, especially those in under-represented populations, will inform the program’s design.
WISE Indiana assisted FSSA with the implementation of this survey in 2021 and 2022.
WISE Indiana partnered with Indiana FSSA’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL). OECOSL oversees early child care, education and out-of-school-time programs in Indiana communities. WISE Indiana engaged with a content expert to provide research knowledge and data expertise to advance policy goals and use evidence to improve practices.
The DMHA engaged WISE to complete an analysis on the cost of untreated mental illness in Indiana. This analysis was incorporated into the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission’s report, which presents recommendations to the legislature and executive branch for improving Hoosier behavioral and mental health.
WISE Indiana assisted the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) with implementing and analyzing responses to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey among 1915i waiver participants. Feedback and results will be used to support program guidance and decision-making.
The Division of Aging (DA) engaged an expert consultant to provide research knowledge and data expertise to help establish an improved and aligned state approach to home health and private duty nursing for waiver participants, leverage robust data collection strategies for members and caregivers to inform HCBS strategy and policies to strengthen HCBS in Indiana, and provide support on related projects to enhance long term care services and supports in Indiana.
WISE Indiana worked with dentists and oral health researchers to evaluate current Indiana dental policies and provide recommendations to support improved dental care outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries.
WISE Indiana, in conjunction with the Center for Evaluation, Policy, and Planning (CEPR) at Indiana University and Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL), conducted an objective evaluation of business and mental health support programs that are being implemented by the division’s technical assistance and training partner. Findings and recommendations informed how the early childhood and childcare workforce are engaged in future efforts.
This task order utilized the expertise of the Center for Aging and Community at the University of Indianapolis to design, develop, and implement a comprehensive health assessment tool (CHAT) and health needs screen (HNS) for use by managed care entities. The CHAT and HNS assessments will be used by MCEs to create treatment plans, collect missing information from members, identify caregivers and understand patient barriers.
The goal of this task order was to explore the experiences of CHOICE program participants who have 0-1 ADLs and gain insight into the impact of the CHOICE program on individual health and quality of life outcomes. The Indiana FSSA Division of Aging was looking for more opportunities to collect data on participants under CHOICE.
Intensive outpatient treatment (IOT) has been traditionally covered by Indiana Medicaid as an in-person service. In 2022, a telehealth option of the service was being covered by Indiana Medicaid on a trial basis. DMHA and OMPP asked WISE Indiana to evaluate the evidence on IOT delivery via telehealth to determine whether to continue offering the telehealth option.
WISE Indiana assisted DMHA in better understanding the current treatment needs and resources available to Indiana residents who live with First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and Early Serious Mental Illness (ESMI). At the time, there were two programs in Indiana that provide specialty FEP programming. This task order aimed to help DMHA to gain a better understanding of the needs and resources of/for those who are experiencing FEP/ESMI, as well as recommendations for evidence-based programming that could be expanded to serve all Indiana residents who live with FEP/ESMI.
Executive leadership at Indiana FSSA was interested in developing a robust cohesive program, designed for guiding process improvement events in the agency before problems occur and creating a culture of continuous improvement to better serve those in need. The task order team used Lean Six Sigma (LSS) expertise to design, pilot, and implement effective training strategies to move from reactive to proactive problem solving for long term success.
This project looked at the 1915(b)(4) waiver connected to the AMHH and BPHC State Plan Amendments. These programs serve individuals with a serious mental illness who meet program criteria. The (b)(4) waiver allows for the Indiana Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC’s) to be the sole providers of services for these programs. This assessment was designed to look at the effectiveness of the (b)(4) waiver related to how participants receive services.
Senate Bill 1 (SEA 1) in the 2023 session reauthorized the Behavioral Health Commission with a final report due in October 2024. The statute required specific data collection and analyses primarily involving the crisis response system. The Indiana FSSA Division of Mental Health and Addiction engaged experts with mixed methods expertise to perform an evaluation of the crisis response system. The overall goal and outcome of the evaluation was to provide better, more effective, and more comprehensive crisis response services.
To address health inequities in opioid use disorder/substance use disorder care and treatment in Indiana, Indiana FSSA Division of Mental Health and Addiction’s (DMHA) State Opioid Response (SOR) Team requested WISE Indiana use administrative data to identify gaps in services for vulnerable and underserved populations in Indiana. Determining the social determinants that may be affecting this population will assist DMHA in better orienting future grant funding and programs.
The Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS) moved to contracted case management in 2022 through the 1915(b)(4) to ensure quality case management that is consistent across all case management organizations – this includes person-centered practices, reduced caseload sizes, and timely access to services. This task order resulted in an independent assessment of the implementation of the 1915 (b)(4) waiver using data available from the Bureau of Disabilities Services systems, as well as data from previously completed interviews and surveys.
WISE Indiana Leadership
| Sarah Wiehe, MD, MPH | Kathryn Box, JD |
| Co-Director, Indiana Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) | Director of Strategic Initiatives, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) |
WISE Indiana Core Team
| Kelsey Binion, PhD | Justin Blackburn, PhD |
| Research Associate IUI Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health |
Scientific Director IUI Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health |
| Deidre Gray | Emily Hardwick, MPH, CCRP, PMP |
| Program Management Assistant Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute |
Project Director Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute |
| Dustin Lynch | Makayla Pearson, MS |
| Visual Design Research Specialist Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute |
Project Management Specialist Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute |
| Simon Gonzalez | Jenifer Smith, MPA, CRA |
| Contracts and Grants Specialist Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute |
Contracts and Grants Specialist Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute |
| Aaron Zych, MPH | |
| Lead Project Management Specialist Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute |