The end of May might signal the end of Mental Health Month across the nation, but momentum continues to build as Mayor Fadness and team continue working to create a Stigma Free Fishers. Today, the temporary public art exhibit, “Big Brains!” was unveiled at City Hall Plaza. Commissioned by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor and created by artists from Bloomington, Indiana, each anatomically correct brain features a different function or area of the brain to promote brain health.
“Changing the stigma around mental health in Fishers continues to be a top priority for our team,” stated Mayor Scott Fadness. “This exhibit will help our community better understand how the brain functions while simultaneously helping to create an open, honest dialogue about mental health in Fishers.”
After today, the brains will be moved from City Hall Plaza to locations throughout the Nickel Plate District to form the Fishers Brain Trail. Each brain station includes a 5-foot-by-5-foot-by-4-foot sculpture, conversation starters, and brain facts. A map detailing where brains are located will be available next week in the Nickel Plate District mobile app, available for download on Apple and Android devices, online, and at City Hall. Brains will be staged throughout the Nickel Plate District with opportunities for residents to view them all summer long.
The Big Brains! Fishers Brain Trail plays a key role in the second phase of the City of Fishers Mental Health Initiative. While phase one of the mental health initiative dealt primarily with auditing community resources and addressing gaps within first responders and Hamilton Southeastern Schools, phase two promises to engage residents in the fight to change the stigma around mental health. Phase two will include continued partnerships with the Campaign to Change Direction, Hamilton Southeastern Schools, Fishers’ faith-based community and city officials. Before the 2017 school year begins, all twelve brains will be relocated inside of Hamilton Southeastern Schools to ensure that students, faculty and administration have an opportunity to explore the exhibit.
An updated status report of the City of Fishers Mental Health Initiative and launch of phase two goals and tactics will be released this summer.
For additional information about the City of Fishers Mental Health Initiative, please visit www.Fishers.in.us/MentalHealth. Join the conversation by using hashtag #StigmaFreeFishers and #ChangeMentalHealth on social media.
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About Fishers
The City of Fishers is a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana, located in Hamilton County. Under the leadership of Mayor Scott Fadness, Fishers is known as a smart, vibrant, and entrepreneurial city through its downtown development, dedication to supporting high-growth companies, and innovative city processes. With a population of 86,459, Fishers is one of the fastest growing communities in Indiana and has received national accolades for entrepreneurship, livability, and safety.
About Fishers’ Mental Health Initiative
In 2014, after learning of 157 immediate detentions by Fishers Police Department on individuals who expressed a desire to hurt themselves or someone else, Mayor Scott Fadness recognized a need for a coordinated strategy to address mental health concerns within our community. The City of Fishers took a thoughtful, smart approach to developing an action plan with clear objectives and measurable goals. The entire Mental Health Report can be viewed online at www.Fishers.in.us/MentalHealth.