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The Aliveness Project of Northwest Indiana Receives $1 Million Grant to
Launch Mobile Crisis Services in Lake & Porter Counties

Gary, IN – [August 18, 2025] – The Aliveness Project of Northwest Indiana, a trusted provider of HIV prevention, testing, and care services for more than three decades, has been awarded a $1 million grant through the Mobile Crisis Accelerator Program (MCAP). This award will fund the launch of a mobile crisis response service for residents in Lake and Porter counties, expanding the organization’s capacity to address behavioral health and substance use crises alongside its existing public health work.

The new Mobile Crisis Unit will deploy trained crisis responders — including licensed clinicians and peer recovery specialists — to provide on-site de-escalation, overdose prevention, and rapid linkage to care. Services will operate in close coordination with 988, 911, local health providers, and community-based organizations to ensure people in crisis have access to safe, compassionate, and timely intervention.

“For over 30 years, we’ve worked to meet people where they are without judgment and with a focus on dignity and care,” said Tammy Morris, Executive Director of The Aliveness Project. “This $1 million award allows us to extend that same approach to behavioral health and substance use emergencies, helping people get connected to services that can change, and save their lives.”

Lake County has one of the highest overdose death rates in Indiana, and Porter County also faces growing behavioral health needs with limited mobile crisis infrastructure. The Aliveness Project’s new team will provide both counties with an alternative to emergency room visits or police intervention, while strengthening connections to treatment, housing, a safe drop-in center and wraparound services.

What This Means for Lake & Porter Counties:

• Mobile crisis response integrated with harm reduction and public health services.
• Licensed clinicians and peer recovery specialists providing compassionate, on-site support.
• Coordination with 988/911 for timely crisis dispatch.
• Expanded coverage into underserved areas of Porter County.
• Linkages to behavioral health, housing, and HIV care services.

The Aliveness Project joins four other grantees — serving St. Joseph, Allen, and Vanderburgh counties — in the statewide MCAP cohort, coordinated by Black Onyx Management.

For more information about The Aliveness Project’s Mobile Crisis Program, visit https://alivenessnwi.org/

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About The Aliveness Project of Northwest Indiana
Founded in 1989, The Aliveness Project provides HIV prevention, testing, and care coordination services throughout Northwest Indiana, focusing on reducing health disparities and improving outcomes for individuals living with or at risk for HIV.

About the Mobile Crisis Accelerator Program (MCAP)
MCAP provides grant funding, training, and technical assistance to Mobile Crisis Teams across Indiana, ensuring timely, community-based crisis response for all Hoosiers. Learn more at www.mcapindiana.org.

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Media Contact: Imani Butts – ibutts@alivenessnwi.org – 219- 240-1554