2024 Community Report
Rooted in Values
We’re on the brink of major change. In 2025, Oaklawn will mark one of the most significant milestones in our history – becoming a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, or CCBHC. This new federal program is revolutionizing mental health care across the country. Indiana is one of 18 states participating, and Oaklawn is one of only eight organizations in the state to pioneer this new model. We’re thrilled to be a part of it and, most importantly, excited about what it means for our community: the highest quality care.
As we embark on this new chapter of our journey, we carry forward the values that have always guided us: integrity, compassion, human dignity, professional expertise and community partnerships. These values are reflected in everything we do – from programs and services to partnerships and organizational priorities. We invite you to learn more about what they mean to us – and how we live them out – in the following pages.
More than words, these values shape who we are, inform the decisions we make
and drive the work we do. In the midst of change, they ground us. Though much is changing at Oaklawn, our commitment to this community has not. We are honored to be partners in this journey toward health and wholeness – and we’re so glad you are a part of it.
– Laurie N. Nafziger, President & CEO
Services with Integrity
The scope of our services is vast. Oaklawn impacts the lives of thousands of people each year through programs, services and partnerships in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties. That includes not only the plethora of services offered on our campuses – group therapy, case management, skills training, inpatient services and intensive services for youth – but also the many places in the community you’ll find our team – embedded in schools, providing services in jails, staffing group homes, conducting assessments in local emergency departments, providing outreach at local shelters and more.
We are honored to do this work and excited to share its impact on our community. Thank you for being a part of this lifechanging and life-saving work. We choose to be truthful and as transparent as possible in our treatment, in our partnerships, in our work with each other and in our financial operations, and, to that end, here are some facts about the services we’ve provided in the past year.
28,600 People Served
22% were children and adolescents
65% receive Medicaid
12% are uninsured
4,100 Crisis Calls Answered
400 mobilizations to crises in the community
240 admissions to our walk-in crisis center
Services Provided
6,600 new clients seen through Open Access
39,000 appointments with a prescriber
92,000 therapy sessions
Healing through Compassion
When Kris attends Camp Mariposa, there’s a camaraderie there she doesn’t find elsewhere. There’s plenty of traditional camp fun to bring campers together – canoeing on the lake, hiking trails and campfires – but the bonds she forms there are stronger for a much deeper reason. All of her fellow campmates have a loved one facing a substance use disorder.
For Kris, it was her biological mom, who struggled with alcohol. She and her brothers were placed in foster care multiple times. It was through her therapist at Oaklawn that she learned about Camp Mariposa. Camp helped her better understand addiction – how it changes the brain making it harder to quit. The compassion she experienced among other campers and camp mentors gave her a safe space to process the difficult experiences she endured. Today, Kris’ biological mom is doing better and their relationship has improved. And, Kris found her forever family: she’s been adopted.
Kris has attended Camp Mariposa for three years and says her perspective has changed in that time. She recalls an exercise at camp, where each camper writes a letter to addiction.
“I used to say, ‘Dear addiction, I hate you.’ But now, I understand it more. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to find my family,” Kris said. “That negative can turn into a positive. I’m lucky enough to have that.”
Camp Mariposa:
- Camp Mariposa South Bend is a free addiction prevention and mentoring program for youth impacted by the substance use disorder of a loved one.
- For ages 9-17
- Camps held 6 times per year (campers attend multiple times)
- 74 campers served last year
Building Community Partnerships
Since the start of 2023, the South Bend Police Department has received nearly 3,000 calls related to mental health. “And that’s just in South Bend,” said SBPD Officer Casey Hof. “It’s something we are seeing and dealing with every day, if not multiple times a day.”
And, it’s why the partnership between Oaklawn and local law enforcement is so important. Police and other emergency responders are often the first people to interact with someone in a mental health crisis. For about a decade, representatives from local mental health and law enforcement agencies have been working together to better equip officers to respond in a mental health crisis. They provide training on verbal de-escalation techniques; understanding mental illnesses, substance use and intellectual and developmental disabilities; the impact of trauma and related community resources. In St. Joseph County, this Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training is coordinated by Hof and Oaklawn Vice President Cindy Schulz. In 2024, nearly 50 officers graduated the program, twice as many as in previous years.
The partnership between Oaklawn and SBPD is also uniquely strengthened by Oaklawn’s crisis services, which began in 2021. At first, representatives from both organizations were cautious. “The trust wasn’t there,” Hof recalls. “But it evolved from uncertainty to a true partnership, where we really value and respect each other. We discovered we’re truly on the same team.”
Community Partnerships
- Oaklawn provides clinical services to about 12,000 people through such partnerships
- Oaklawn partners with hundreds of organizations and agencies across Elkhart and St. Joseph counties
- This includes schools, healthcare organizations, government bodies, youth-serving agencies, social services, business and development leaders and more
Honoring Human Dignity
“These people saved my life, I’m not even kidding.” Ricky spent most of the past five years unhoused. The harsh conditions of living on the street, including being victim of a hit-and-run incident a little over a year ago, took a severe toll on his health. Then he met Andrew, a member of Oaklawn’s homeless outreach team.
“He took me under his wing and saw that I was struggling,” Ricky said. “He saw something in me. He said, ‘Man, I’m going to help you.’ And he did. He kept his word.”
Andrew helped Ricky get off the streets – first, into Faith Mission, and then, into his own apartment in one of Oaklawn’s permanent supportive housing sites in Goshen. The site operates with a Housing First philosophy – which prioritizes giving people safe housing, without preconditions, and then engaging them in treatment once their immediate physical needs are met.
Ricky’s lived here for about nine months and he’s making great strides. He works with Oaklawn’s on-site staff and sees a doctor at the Goshen campus. He’s rebuilding his life with new routines and new friends.
“You don’t always give yourself credit for what you should, but I’ve come a long way,” he said. And he has a word of encouragement to others: “Don’t be ashamed to ask for help. However embarrassing, there’s people that care about you and will help you get back on track.”
Oaklawn Housing
- Oaklawn provides housing and services to about 400 people, including 12-15 families.
- These include a mix of approaches, where staff may provide services and/or supervision on-site, up to 24 hours a day.
- Partners such as Lacasa in Goshen and South Bend Heritage Foundation play a critical role.
- Oaklawn’s homeless outreach teams have helped at least 100 people access shelter or housing.
