Indiana residents deserve access to mental wellness support just as routinely as they receive an annual medical checkup. Yet while physical health checkups are a normal part of preventive care, mental health support often comes with barriers—diagnoses, insurance complications, and stigma—that keep people from getting help early.

To normalize mental healthcare and promote prevention, we call upon the Indiana General Assembly to establish an Annual Mental Wellness Checkup Voucher Program. Modeled after the familiar yearly medical exam, this initiative would provide every adult Hoosier with a no-diagnosis, no-insurance-required voucher to access one mental wellness checkup per year. This checkup could be used with licensed counselors, mental health coaches, or approved wellness providers of the individual’s choice.

This simple, proactive touchpoint would help residents check in on stress, emotional well-being, relationships, coping skills, and early warning signs—long before concerns escalate into crisis. Just as early detection improves physical health outcomes, mental wellness checkups can reduce the severity of future issues and increase overall resilience.

Normalizing mental healthcare through a routine, statewide checkup removes stigma and frames emotional well-being as a standard part of health—because it is. Research consistently shows that early access to support improves outcomes, strengthens families, enhances workplace productivity, and lowers long-term healthcare costs.

By funding an annual mental wellness checkup for every adult, Indiana can lead the nation in recognizing that mental health is health—and that prevention is more effective, humane, and affordable than crisis response.

We urge the Indiana General Assembly to create this voucher program and ensure that every Hoosier has at least one guaranteed opportunity each year to care for their mental well-being. By signing this petition, you are advocating for accessible, stigma-free mental wellness support for all. Please sign and share to help build a healthier, more resilient Indiana.