Indiana Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch Talks Mental Illness Aid and Committing Resources to Housing Shortage

By: Kris Norton

On Wednesday morning Indiana Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch spoke to WITZ focusing on the issues plaguing Hoosier statewide and the actions being taken in the fight against.  

Among the issues seen as most important and most personal to crouch are the combination of mental health and addiction.

“Mental illness and addiction is a passion of mine… I actually became really engaged Covid and see what Hoosiers are going through,  my family and what we were struggling with and you know I became very passionate about those who are  struggling with mental illness and addiction. And, since Covid we’ve seen a 20% increase in depression and anxiety among the population,  but we’ve seen a 60% increase on young people and I don’t know if it was surprise to you, but it surprised me when I read a study that said in the past six months one out of seven high school boys, one out of four high school girls contemplated suicide.” Crouch says.

Crouch, as she says, has family members, dealing with both sides of the issues, and an addition to testifying on behalf of the senate enrolled act number one, the steps being taken by the state of Indiana to help curb their effect.   

“I cofounded the Indiana Mental Health Round Table which is focused on engaging the private sector in the fight to be able to provide resources that help those are struggling, and I testified this past session on behalf of senate enrolled act one in the house and senate, which honestly Kris is highly unusual for a Lieutenant Governor to testify on behalf of the bill, but I thought so so committed to being sure that that bill passed because that bill put in place the infrastructure, and then the budget put in the funding for the 9-8-8 suicide hotline and also for mobile response teams.” Crouch Continues. 

The senate enrolled act number one was passed by both legislative chambers and signed into law by Governor Eric Holcomb.  A press release from the state house called it the most significant legislation ever advanced in Indiana to address mental illness and addiction issues. 

Also on the list of Indiana’s most prevalent statewide issues is the scarcity of affordable housing.  Crouch spoke on the topic and commitments lying ahead in community housing.

“The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority that I oversee as Lieutenant Governor made a historic investment in affordable housing throughout Indiana. We awarded over a half billion dollars of tax credits and tax exempt bonds to be able to put affordable housing in 29 communities throughout Indiana. It’s going to create 2500 new housing units which is absolutely critical because I have traveled to Dubois County, you know, many many times. I travel all over the state. I was in Valparaiso, Winamac and Madison last week, everywhere I go people talk about the lack of affordable workforce marketplace housing throughout their communities”

Crouch continued saying that while Indiana's job market is growing, the need for housing has risen alongside. And with prospective buyers being frozen out of the housing market, it  has become a quality of life issue.

“I was being interviewed by a woman from Indianapolis yesterday who said she and her fiancé are getting married next year and want to buy a house but with interest rates at 8% and with lack of affordability, and the lack of choices out there, you know, they are not looking at being able to make a decision anytime in the near future. We gotta change that because housing, you know, when you own a home that is probably your single largest investment but it’s also about quality of life.”. 

These tax credits are not set to affect any Dubois county communities; several in Southwestern Indiana will see financial relief.