WARSAW — Bowen Health is launching a new pilot program in Warsaw directed toward veterans and will host monthly meetings at the American Legion Post 49 in Warsaw beginning in December.

[caption id="attachment_123226" align="alignright" width="380"] Bowen Health's director of community engagement, Michael Murphy, talked about the program and expressed appreciation for the cooperation from Post 49. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

On Thursday, the legion distributed Thanksgiving dinners with all the fixings to veterans and representatives of Bowen, then took the opportunity to promote the new group counseling sessions that will be held at the post.

Bowen Health's director of community engagement, Michael Murphy, talked about the program.

“We definitely know veterans need some services, and they are very proud and sometimes don’t often seek the help,” Murphy said. “So we thought it would be appropriate to (use) a neutral site to just engage veterans in a place where they don’t have to worry about paying for the service, they don’t have to worry about being a patient. They can then come and talk freely and we can hopefully lighten their load a little.”

[caption id="attachment_123227" align="alignright" width="370"] Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith attended Thursday's event and endorsed the effort. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Three Kosciusko County Council members — Tony Ciriello, Dave Wolkins and Joe Irwin — helped with the distribution on Thursday.

Also there was Sheriff Jim Smith, a veteran himself, who sits on the Bowen Health board of directors.

“Bottom line is … it’s OK to not be OK and even if you think you’re OK, they may have something to offer that we might not even know that we need,” Smith said.

“It’s for you and there’s no cost to it, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of it?” Smith added.

The new program, known as Reboot Thursday, will happen on the second Thursday of each month beginning in December.

Also attending the Thursday meeting was licensed therapist Amy Jo Voirol, who will join in the future group sessions.

I am basically here to listen, to encourage, to educate ... I’m just very honored to be here and be a part of this,” she said.

Murphy expressed appreciation for the cooperation from Post 49.

He said Bowen will consider expanding the program to its other counties, depending o how it goes.

[caption id="attachment_123228" align="aligncenter" width="696"] From left are Kosciusko County Councilman Dave Wolkins, Sheriff Jim Smith, and County Councilmen Joe Irwin and Tony Ciriello. They helped distribute free Thanksgiving meals to veterans on Thursday. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

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WARSAW — Kosciusko County elected officials, in partnership with Bowen Health, are uniting to support local veterans through a Thanksgiving meal distribution and the launch of a new mental health initiative dedicated exclusively to those who have served.

On Thursday, American Legion Post 49 will host a joint effort led by Bowen Health and supported by Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith and Kosciusko County Councilmen Tony Ciriello, Dave Wolkins and Joe Irwin.

Together, they will provide Thanksgiving turkeys and meal fixings to the first 50 veterans in attendance, while unveiling a new program designed to strengthen and expand mental health resources for veterans across the county, according to a provided news release.

The event begins at 4:45 p.m. at American Legion Post #49, 301 N. Buffalo St., Warsaw, and will include remarks from Smith and Michael Murphy, Bowen Health director of community engagement.

The Thanksgiving giveaway also serves as a kickoff for Reboot Thursday, a new monthly mental health support program for veterans.

Beginning Dec. 11, 2025, and held every second Thursday thereafter at American Legion Post 49, each session will run from 4 to 5 p.m. The peer-support format provides a safe, welcoming environment for veterans to connect, share experiences and strengthen their mental well-being, the release states. A complimentary meal will be served following each session.

“As elected officials, it is our duty to ensure veterans in our county are supported, connected and never overlooked,” said Ciriello. “This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to honoring service with action.”

This collaboration marks a renewed countywide focus on veterans’ mental health, community connection and the shared responsibility to support those who have sacrificed for the nation, the release states.

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WARSAW — American Legion Post 49 placed wreaths at the three Legion Circles at Oakwood Cemetery in Warsaw on Saturday, Dec. 7, in honor of Pearl Harbor Day.

"Wreaths Across America" is a national program that places wreaths on graves to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the next generation the value of freedom.

The Post would like to expand the program next year which happens on the second Saturday of December.

Earlier in the day, Post members gathered to remember the 83rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan that ushered the United States into World War II.

A beautiful sunset added to the laying of the wreaths.

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WARSAW — Congressman Rudy Yakym visited Warsaw Tuesday as part of a tour highlighting military veterans issues, and addressed two distinct topics.

The 2nd District Representative talked about legislation he’s authored in Congress that would ensure that veterans who are considered to be 50 percent disabled or more can get access for a mental health appointment within five days or the US Department of Veterans Affairs would be required to pay for the community care.

The bill is named after Sgt. Ted Grubbs, a resident of St. Joe County who was having a mental health crisis and reached out to the VA, only to be told it would be six weeks before he could get an appointment.

"He literally had a gun to his head and was ready to pull the trigger and reached out to the VA to get an in-person mental health appointment and the VA let him down. That's why we wake up every day going to bat for people like Sg. Ted Grubbs."

"The No. 1 concern I hear across the district is access to mental health and specifically, in-person mental health appointments," Yakym said.

Yakym met with a small group of veterans at the American Legion Post 49 Tuesday afternoon as part of a tour of gatherings with veterans in the district.

He also assured that plans for a proposed Veterans clinic in Warsaw is still on track.

The proposed district was confirmed earlier this year, but the federal government is still working on determining where it will be located.

He also assured that plans for a proposed Veterans clinic in Warsaw are still on track.

Plans to open a new clinic in Warsaw were confirmed earlier this year, but the federal government is still working on determining where it will be located.

Earlier this year, officials with Parkview Health expressed interest in including a VA clinic as part of a new development along US 30 in Warsaw, but Yakym's office said site selection for the clinic has not yet been finalized.

"What's important for the veterans in this community to know is that we have heard them on that request and we continue to be their advocate to make that come to fruition," Yakym said.

A spokesman for Yakym said they want to see the plan come together soon, but did not have any kind of timetable.

Veterans at the meeting also expressed dismay over the VA’s rotation of doctors as well as a phone service, part of which Yakym described as an “unmitigated disaster.”

[caption id="attachment_93612" align="aligncenter" width="696"] US Rep. Rudy Yakym (L) talks with Kosciusko County Councilman Tony Ciriello during a meeting Tuesday at the American Legion Post 49 in Warsaw. Ciriello helped organize the meeting between Yakym and local military veterans. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

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WARSAW — A funding crisis looming in Indianapolis was front and center in Warsaw late Friday afternoon.

More than dozen families of critically disabled children who need 24/7 care converged on Warsaw Friday to meet with Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch to express their concerns over a $1 billion shortfall that has led a state agency considering the idea of slashing a program that pays parents to care for their children — known as attendant care.

Parents learned earlier this month of a plan by Indiana Family and Social Services Agency to eliminate an attendant care program that pays parents to provide care for the children under the age of 18 – a program established in 2017 that they were led to believe would be permanent.

Major changes to the program are set to take effect July 31 and parents are calling on lawmakers to intervene.

They have started a petition and are hosting rallies each Monday for the next few weeks.

A group of parents have begun networking and have 15,000 signatures on a petition to at lease pause the change until it can be more closely examined.

For many of the adults, Friday's meeting was the first chance to meet each other face-to-face.

Some of the parents brought their children to the meeting in expansive mobile chairs.

Parents contend they have quit their jobs to take on the responsibility and that the shortage of specially trained nurses and the lack of space at two institutions designed for children that could care for the children leave them with very few options.

"That's why I drove two hours to get here," said Olivia Ruzic, a parent who lives in Indianapolis. "When I say there are Hoosier children who are going to die, that's not an exaggeration."

Crouch met with the parents and heard an earful while at the American Legion Post 49. She listened and took notes for nearly 45 minutes.

She was asked if the unexpected change in policy represents a crisis.

"For these families, for these children, yes it's a matter of some urgency," she said in a phone call Saturday morning.

A former state lawmaker,  Crouch did not rule out the chance the state legislature could take up the issue in some way during its current session.

"I think the short-term solution, at least for the parents, is that it be paused and let's look at the big picture and let's really figure out how we can arrive at a solution that is not harmful to the children and the families," Crouch said.

Crouch had originally planned to host a meeting with veterans at the American Legion and added time to sit with the parents after they reached out to her.

They sought her out, in part because of her role in state government but also because she chairs the state’s intellectual and developmental disability task force.

Crouch was also joined by State Sen. Ryan Mishler who was there to visit veterans and also met with parents who have been part of the state's attendant care program.

Mishler chairs the Senate Appropirations Committee, which oversees nearly all spending in state dollars.

He declined comment on the issue until he reviews some of the finances.

The 2017 legislation that opened the door for the program was intended to be permanent, according to parents. You can learn more about the program here.

You can also learn more at this change.org page.

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