When Richard Wagoner was 24 years old, he was involved in a car accident that left him with lifelong paralysis of his lower body. For nearly 30 years since, he has navigated life in a wheelchair. 

Born with autism spectrum disorder, John Thompson did not begin speaking until he was eight years old. He was homeschooled and had no prior experience with public school before enrolling at The Excel Center® in Shelbyville, Goodwill’s tuition-free high school for adults. As a result, he lacked experience socializing in an academic setting and worried that his peers might not accept him. 

At age five, Joselyn and her family immigrated from Honduras to Los Angeles, where she encountered challenges and life took an unexpected turn. 

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a work-based training program for older adults ages 55+. Participants are not only provided with the training needed to be successful in today’s working world but also receive opportunities that can open doors to potential careers.

For over 10 years, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s New Beginnings program has helped those who have been previously incarcerated reenter their communities. The program is designed to offer Hoosiers the resources to address the barriers they encounter after being released from the criminal justice system. 

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana proudly presents its 2024 Educators of the Year!

As part of our One Goodwill Strategic Plan, launched in 2022, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana developed a number of initiatives aimed at improving the mental health support provided to the people we employ, educate and serve. One of these initiatives included hiring a Mental Health Strategist, an entirely new role created to support the organization as we sought to create a culture that removes the stigma surrounding mental health. 

Learn more about Sarah Ash, Goodwill’s Mental Health Strategist, and how she envisions making an impact in her new role.

Tell us about your background and experience in the mental health care field.

I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and have worked in settings such as schools, child welfare, health care, emergency services and private practice therapy. Depending on the role, my support of individuals’ mental health may have looked like barrier removal (much like Goodwill’s mission and life coaches offer to Goodwill employees and graduates), legal advocacy or traditional talk therapy. Fortunately, this sort of varied experience gave me a tremendous amount of insight into the way we approach “care” for others and how much more creative and expansive our care can be!

Describe your current role at Goodwill.

Currently, I serve as Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana’s Mental Health Strategist. This role was created in alignment with the Strategic Plan, which has a strategic objective dedicated to supporting the mental health of the individuals Goodwill employs, educates and serves. So far, this has looked like forming relationships across the organization to understand the unique challenges different areas face before partnering with them to develop ways to address those challenges. It has been exciting to think through the nuanced support we can implement in such a broad and diverse organization.

What are some of the challenges employers are grappling with in terms of mental health in the workplace?

The World Health Organization defines mental health as, “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well and contribute to their community.” Even if we can all more or less agree on what mental health is, what we each need as individuals to achieve it can be vastly different! For employers, this can be a really challenging reality to navigate because it means that each employee needs something unique. So attempting to build something that is both equitable and adaptable is very difficult, but important work. 

How is Goodwill responding to these challenges?

In recognition of Older Americans Month, we spoke with Patricia Culp about her journey with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana. Patricia embarked on her journey with Goodwill in 2015, starting as a cashier at the Lafayette retail store. This occurred during a challenging period in her personal life; she had recently lost her father and assumed the role of caretaker for her mother, who was battling dementia.

As her mother's condition progressed, Patricia transitioned to full-time caregiving, leading to her departure from her job at Goodwill. Following her mother's passing, Patricia found herself grappling with grief.

"I didn’t know what to do with myself. I got depressed, and I felt like an orphan," Patricia said.

Soon, Patricia found that she had more time on her hands than what she knew what to do with. Seeking a new sense of purpose, Patricia rejoined the Goodwill retail team at the same Lafayette location in September of 2022.

"I was nervous, but I started to feel better as soon as I started," Patricia said.

Thriving in her role on the sales floor, Patricia quickly established herself as a valued member of the retail team. Over time, she honed her skills across various departments, from cashier to textiles, wares, and books, positioning herself for future leadership opportunities.

In April 2024, Patricia achieved a significant milestone in her career when she accepted the role of Team Lead at the Lafayette retail location. She aspires to emulate the leadership she has received from her mentors within the organization. Looking ahead, Patricia envisions a long-term commitment to Goodwill, expressing gratitude for the supportive environment it provides.

"They are the kindest, nonjudgmental people I have ever met. I have so much more confidence in myself and others because of them," Patricia said.

Are you or someone you know seeking employment? Check out current opportunities on our website. 

For over 10 years, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana's New Beginnings program has helped previously incarcerated people reenter their communities successfully and positively impacted its participants' recidivism or the rate of returning to prison. Compared to Indiana’s recidivism rate of 34%, Goodwill New Beginnings participants maintain a recidivism rate under 10%.