Wishard’s mission to serve the Indianapolis community extends far beyond the walls of the hospital through health and education programs provided at low or no cost to the people of Marion County. These programs are geared toward improving the health and wellness of the community as a whole.

Prescription for Hope
Project Prescription for Hope began in 2009 as an effort to address violence-related injuries associated with crime in Indianapolis. Working in partnership with the Shepherd Community Center, with funding from the City of Indianapolis Crime Prevention Advisory Board, the program works with individuals treated at the IU/Wishard Adult Level I Trauma Center for gunshots, stabbings and other assaults to provide life skills mentoring and counseling to reduce the risk of the patient being involved in future violence.

House Calls for Seniors
This program is designed to provide team-based primary care in the home for those age 65 and over who live in Marion County and are unable to leave their homes without extraordinary assistance due to physical or psychosocial limitations.

ENCARE
ENCARE is an Emergency Nurses Association-sponsored community effort that enters junior high and high schools throughout Marion County and presents seminars on alcohol-related accidents and injuries resulting from improper use of vehicle safety belts. According to recent surveys, alcohol and other drug use continue to be a major problem among teenagers. A multi-pronged approach, including education and enforcement, is most effective at preventing this abuse.

Through programs like ThinkFirst for Kids, Wishard serves the community’s future – its young people.

ThinkFirst for Kids
The ThinkFirst for Kids Program was developed to increase knowledge and awareness among elementary school children (grades 1-3) about the causes and consequences of brain and spinal cord injury, injury prevention and safety habits that reduce the risk of injury. The IU/Wishard Adult Level I Trauma Center staff worked with several third grade classrooms in the Indianapolis Public Schools system, complementing the students’ curriculum with important information on injury prevention and safety habits.

Educating Kids about Gun Violence (EKG)
Educating Kids about Gun Violence is a youth gun-violence education and prevention program.

EKG works to prevent youth gun violence by educating students about the legal, medical and emotional consequences of youth gun possession and related gun violence, as well as encouraging young people to consider options and choices available to them in situations involving guns. It is a partnership between the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, the Indianapolis Police Department and other agencies within Marion County, including the IU/Wishard Adult Level I Trauma Center.

Community Health Fairs
In 2005, the IU/Wishard Adult Level I Trauma Center staff participated in four health fairs providing the community with injury prevention information including seat belt safety, car seat safety and gun safety. Nearly 2,000 gunlocks were provided to health fair participants, along with the gun safety information.

Eskenazi Health provided roughly $150 million in free care in 2008.