MUNCIE, Ind. – Meridian Health Services is expanding its partnership with local schools by bringing its Speaker Series event into junior high and high schools to help make an impact on the lives of students for better health and well‐being. The Speaker Series: School Assembly, features engaging speakers discussing the daily challenges teens face, and provides support and resources for students to make positive choices that will positively impact their “whole‐person” health.
Meridian Health Services has been providing behavioral health services for many years in more than 200 schools throughout Indiana. In 2022, Meridian spearheaded the new concept of creating an on‐site school‐ based health clinic that offers both primary medical care and behavioral health to help broaden access to these much‐needed services for students, teachers, families, and the community at large. Through this partnership with schools, Meridian sees kids in greater need of physical and mental health services – especially as the nation faces a youth mental health crisis. It was through this existing partnership and deep understanding of what mental health battles our youth are facing that The Speaker Series: School Assembly was created.
To kick off the series, Speaker Series: School Assembly was held in August at Muncie Southside and Northside Middle Schools. Meridian brought Brandon McCall to speak to students on positive self‐image, social media use, bullying, mental health, and other daily youth struggles. McCall is a motivational speaker with a passion for working with schools and has dedicated his life to helping students make positive choices.
The Speaker Series: School Assembly is presented by Pridemark Construction, with additional support from The Ball Brothers Foundation, Jay‐Crew, Brooklawn Services, Sharper Payments, the City of Muncie, Henry Community Health, USI Insurance, Magna Powertrain, T&H Sweeper, LifeStream Services, Ben & Erin Smith and the Dylan T. Stafford Memorial Fund, Star Press, and NASH FM.
Meridian Health Services plans to host more school assemblies in Richmond and Frankfort later this year.
