Working Groups

Three state-level, state-led working groups aim to address top and emerging issues that impact military-connected families across Indiana. Each working group topic is identified by the JCFI executive committee as top and emerging issues that impact families: suicide prevention, financial literacy, and women veterans.

• The suicide prevention working group is facilitated by the chair, Sylvia Maixner. The goal of the working group is to reduce and prevent suicide among the service member, veteran, and family population living in Indiana. Specifically, this group works to implement the Ask the Question initiative across Indiana agencies – which is a question that identifies folks as military-connected. Once identified, folks are provided connection with key military-connected resources, services, and support. To connect with this working group, contact Sylvia Maixner.

• The financial literacy working group is facilitated by the chair, Katie Walter. The goal of the working group is to connect recently separated military members and veterans with financial education and resources to set-up their post-military lives for success. The group focuses on financial prevention – educating folks on finances related to budgeting, money management, financial behaviors, understanding military-related income, financial advising, investments, and more. To connect with this working group, contact Katie Walter.

• The women veterans working group is facilitated by the chair, Katie Walter. The goal of the working group is to educate and connect women veterans with care-related resources, services, and support. This newly-created group brings together professionals who are women veterans or serve women veterans across the state to bridge awareness of existing supports. To connect with this working group, contact Sheryl Shipley.