02/17/2026
Mental Health America Wabash Valley Region was honored to bring our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) members to the Indiana Statehouse for a powerful day of advocacy, leadership, and collaboration. Together, students from Cass, Tippecanoe, and Boone counties met with more than ten legislators to advance meaningful conversations around Youth Peer Support — ensuring that young voices are not only heard, but respected as part of the solution to today’s mental health challenges.
Throughout the day, our youth leaders demonstrated courage, professionalism, and passion as they shared real perspectives from their schools and communities. Many legislators expressed openness and interest in continuing this important work, marking a strong step forward for youth-driven mental health advocacy in Indiana. The opportunity to take a group photo inside the House Chamber alongside legislators from across the state was a memorable highlight and a testament to the impact these young advocates are already making.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Representative Chris Campbell, Representative Sheila Klinker, Senator Michael Crider, Representative Mark Genda, Senator Ron Alting, Representative Craig Haggard, and Senator Kyle Walker, Representative Matt Commons, and Representative Craig Haggard, for taking the time to meet with our students and listen to their vision for stronger peer support systems.
This day would not have been possible without the dedication of our community partners and leaders — including our MHA-WVR Board Members Adam Miller and Dagney Zupin, our CEO Brandi Christiansen for her steadfast leadership, Nikki Malott (Cass County YAC Mentor), Sanna Thukral (Tippecanoe County Mentor), Purdue student leaders including Taniya Robinson, and the Boone County YAC members who continue to set an outstanding example of statewide youth leadership.
We closed the day sharing a meal at the Old Spaghetti Factory — celebrating new connections, strengthened confidence, and the momentum our youth are building together.
At Mental Health America Wabash Valley Region, we believe advocacy begins by empowering young people to lead. Through ᴇᴍᴘᴏᴡᴇʀɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜᴛʜ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇꜱ, we are committed to representing youth where their perspectives are too often missing — and creating pathways for the next generation of leaders to advance mental health in their communities.
Students and mentors who want to be part of this growing movement are invited to get involved. Your voice matters. Your leadership matters. Together, we are building a future where youth voices help shape real change.
