Turning 65 soon? Retiring after the age of 65? These are just a few life events that can make you eligible for Medicare. 

SHIP, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, wants to help people with Medicare, including people under 65 with disabilities, get more value from their health insurance dollars. SHIP provides consumers with free, impartial and confidential health insurance counseling regarding Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap), Medicare Advantage Plans, Long Term Care Plans, and finding help with prescription costs. We can also help you enroll in the program(s) of your choice. SHIP counselors can assist with low-income assistance applications, as well as referrals to other similar programs.

SHIP has more than 147 sites and over 463 trained and certified counselors throughout Indiana. Our counselors can assist you in person, by phone, or virtually. Look for a SHIP site near you at www.in.gov/ship/find-anindiana-ship-location.

SHIP offers presentations and educational events throughout Indiana. Look for a SHIP event near you at www.in.gov/ship/ship-presentations-and-events.

What else can SHIP do to help you?

•  Help you evaluate the various Medicare Part D, Medicare supplement insurance policies (Medigap), Medicare Advantage, and Long Term Care Insurance policies currently available in Indiana.
•  Help you enroll in the plan(s) of your choice.
•  Help with applications for assistance programs that help pay for uncovered Medicare costs.
•  Inform you of your rights as a Medicare beneficiary or health insurance policyholder.
•  Provide educational videos, webinars, materials, and brochures.
•  Educate you to understand Medicare, file claims, and appeal Medicare decisions.
•  Refer you to appropriate agencies where you can get help with other needs.
•  Provide speakers to make presentations to groups.

Learn more about what SHIP can do to help your transition to Medicare at www.Medicare.in.gov. You can also find us on Facebook, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn. Contact SHIP directly during standard business hours at (800) 452-4800.

Ivy Harris of Salem will be departing soon for a Christian mission trip to Australia.  She will be a sophmore at Indiana University Southeast this fall and is the daughter of Roy and Gretta Harris of Salem.

Ivy describes below how she came to be involved in this exciting experience:

Personal information about yourself:

I graduated Salem High School in 2023, and I just finished my first year of college at IU Southeast. I’m pursuing a business degree concentrated in accounting. I entered IUS on sophomore standing because I took dual credit and AP classes in high school; I’ll be graduating in three years rather than four.

On campus I'm involved in a Christian organization called Cru. I learned about this organization at the Student Involvement & Resource Fair during my first week of college, and I joined right away. It was important to me to have a community of Christian friends during my time at IUS. It’s common for believers to fall away from faith during their college years, and I didn’t want to be a part of that. This organization is on 8,919 campuses worldwide, and it offers a variety of mission trip opportunities all over the globe.

How did you get involved with the mission trip:

I felt like the Lord was calling me to go on my first mission, and my friend from IUS also felt the same way. We were on the Cru website scrolling through the different options and Australia stood out to both of us. We both applied online and decided to go through this together. After the application was reviewed by the mission leader, she called to give me more details about the trip and so we could ask each other any questions. Then, a week later, I got the email of acceptance to go on the mission trip.

Details about the venue:

The trip is in Sydney, Australia July 11-27. The team will be meeting and spending the night in Las Angeles, CA on July 10 to do some team building, then we will leave in the evening of July 11 to fly to Sydney. The team includes three staff members and there are seven of us students. The team is made up of staff and students in Cru from several different states including Texas, Minnesota, Florida, and North Carolina. In L.A., we’ll be staying at Aloft El Segundo Hotel. In Australia, we will be staying at Quest Macquarie Park, which is an apartment hotel.

Duties and activities expected of you:

My team and I will be partnering with the Cru staff and student leaders at the University of Sydney and Macquarie University (Power To Change is Cru’s official name in Australia). We will be welcoming and reaching out to international students on their campuses. There are 87,000+ international students in New South Wales. Most of those international students are from China, Korea, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam. We will be evangelizing to these students and encouraging them to check out their campus’ Cru organization. On Mondays through Fridays we will be 9-5 working at the campuses, with some additional evening activities. Saturdays are for team outings/development. Sundays are for church and rest.

Info about the sponsoring organization:

Cru’s mission statement is to win, build and send Christ-centered multiplying disciples who launch spiritual movements. Cru was originally founded as Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951, when Bill and Vonette Bright began the ministry on the UCLA campus. God gave Bill a vision of the total fulfillment of the Great Commission throughout the world, starting with college students. Cru helps the body of Christ to do evangelism and discipleship in a variety of creative ways such as campus ministries, Cru’s city ministry, FamilyLife, Athletes in Action, Cru Military, and the “JESUS” film. Cru has more than 16,000 staff members in over 190 countries.

Personal experience with traveling and expectations:

This will be my first time out of the country and also my first time on a plane.
I hope to return with powerful stories of how I saw God moving during this mission trip.I’m excited to go to a new place and to focus solely on God for two and a half weeks. Although, I'm a little nervous about the flight as I've never been on a plane before.

I’m looking forward to building friendships with my team and sharing the gospel with the students in Australia.

Washington County, Indiana (June 24, 2024) – During PTSD Awareness Month, we recognize the impact of PTSD on millions of people and their families.

 PTSD can affect anyone who has experienced trauma, and especially our veterans from all walks of life. Some events that may cause PTSD include combat and military experiences, sexual or physical assault at any point in life, learning about the violent or accidental death or injury of a loved one and serious accidents or natural disasters.

 “The individuals in our community who have experienced trauma of any form – be it from service to our country, car accidents or abuse should have the care they deserve. Part of this care involves being aware of the symptoms and resources available for posttraumatic stress disorder,” says Sheriff Brent Miller.

 PTSD may present itself in a variety of ways, such as depression, irritability, anxiety, isolation or insomnia. Veterans, law enforcement officers, and any individuals who have experienced a traumatic event and are still struggling months later should look for the four symptoms of PTSD: Reliving the event, avoidance of things that remind of the event, having more negative thoughts and feelings than before the event and feeling on edge.

 “Now more than ever, we need to promote healthy lives in our communities. We can make our community better by advocating for PTSD awareness and helping individuals who experience symptoms of PTSD get the help they need,” says Sheriff Miller.

 Only a mental health provider can diagnose PTSD, but it is important for people who have experienced trauma and their loved ones to recognize these symptoms and seek help. As we spread the world about PTSD and effective treatments, we can create a healthier community and nation.

 If you believe you or someone you love may be experiencing symptoms of PTSD, visit https://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp or seek care from a local doctor or mental health care provider, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. Treatment can help, and PTSD can get better.