Midwest Center for Youth and Families advocates for regional mental health resources for Mental Health Awareness Month

As Northwest Indiana prepares for Mental Health Awareness Month in May, local healthcare providers are calling for a fundamental shift in how the community views adolescent behavioral health. Midwest Center for Youth and Families urges parents and guardians to help debunk the stigma associated with residential treatment and to place urgency on mental health support and treatment.

“We treat the brain like any other organ in the body,” said Kevin Zwiers, the center’s Director of Business Development. “If you were to be physically hurt, wouldn’t you go to the hospital and get help? If your brain is hurt, why wouldn’t you go to a behavioral health facility to get help?”

Midwest Center for Youth and Families works to overcome the entry barriers that often hinder families seeking mental health support. Serving as a regional resource, the facility helps guardians navigate a complex healthcare landscape. The center integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy to equip families with four core modalities in mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills as long-term alternatives to medication-heavy management.

“How can individuals manage emotions effectively and correctly? We can teach coping skills, mindfulness activities and distress tolerance. Our goal is simple: to provide compassionate, trauma-informed care, structured support and the tools young people need to build a healthier, more hopeful future,” said Zwiers.

The Midwest Center’s program uses a multi-disciplinary approach that integrates 24-hour nursing and weekly psychiatric care with support from licensed clinicians, a board certified psychiatrist, a nurse practitioner, and a registered dietician. This clinical structure supports helping residents focus on practical coping mechanisms and parent education. A key goal of the center is to support a sustainable transition toward community reintegration.

“Just because two people have the same diagnosis, they have different lived experiences,” Zwiers said. “We can’t treat everyone the same way. Our goal is to meet those individuals exactly where they are in their current situation to aid them back to reunification with their community.”

As an extension of Midwest Center for Youth & Families, South Shore Academy puts this advocacy into practice as a specialized residential program to accommodate community needs. Based in Valparaiso, the facility offers a secure and seclusion-free environment for females ages 12 to 18. Residents focus on personal growth through a structured recovery process and a pro-social atmosphere. South Shore Academy also provides year-round instruction through its Cognia-accredited school to help ensure students stay on track academically. These comprehensive services address the broader mental health challenges facing the region.

“Statistically speaking, one in five people has some form of mental illness in a calendar year,” Zwiers said. “My goal and that of Midwest Center for Youth & Families is to let our community and surrounding territories know that mental health is important and we’re here to help.”

Midwest Center for Youth & Families marks Mental Health Awareness Month by promoting progress over perfection through the belief that it is okay to not be okay. This effort normalizes seeking care and underscores how early intervention can provide stability. Success is measured by former residents now thriving as independent and stable adults.

“We hear from patients, five to 10 years down the line, with families of their own, and they’re thriving,” Zwiers said. “That is what brings us to work every day.”

As part of its commitment to Mental Health Awareness Month, Midwest Center for Youth and Families invites families to access confidential assessments at midwest-center.com or by calling 219-766-2999.

For residential programming and support, call the national toll-free line at 888-629-3471. Those in immediate crisis should contact 911 or seek emergency care.