Good news where you least expect it: Indiana

Our partners at ACT Indiana won some amazing victories this month, running five candidates for city council and winning all five in Gary, South Bend, Fort Wayne – and Indianapolis where they secured a progressive bloc on the City Council. Even more impressive, they led a statewide coalition, advocating to create a mental health crisis response system as an alternative to police response, and to improve care for people experiencing mental health crises. The bill was passed through Indiana’s Republican legislature, signed, and funded to the tune of $100 million (!). A related bill will divert people from jail into mental health care facilities.

How did they win such major progressive victories in a red trifecta state? Part of their strategy was organizing unlikely allies including the states’ corporate lobbyists and police unions several months before the start of session. Apparently, police unions didn’t want their members being asked to respond to mental health calls. Indiana’s corporations wanted to be seen as inclusive (in ways that don’t cost money). They got prominent business leaders to write op-eds, including from the retired CEO of Eli Lilly and the owner of the Indiana Pacers. Even in the reddest of states, with savvy strategy, huge victories are possible.