NAHA Neighborhood Newsletter

October 22, 2015

Bob Lane
Executive Director
New Albany Housing Authority (NAHA)

Dear Mr. Bob Lane,

This letter is to provide a token of appreciation for the partnership between Indiana University Southeast (IUS) School of Nursing and NAHA. I became connected with NAHA during my studies in the (2013) Undergraduate RN-BSN program, at IUS; which during that time, I had the opportunity to take on a service learning project at NAHA. The project involved home visits to residents with mental health concerns. This project allowed me to observe how a mental health illness affects the well-being of a person to live a quality life. After graduation in May 2014, I became a clinical adjunct faculty for IUS School of Nursing; and began my first clinical community health nursing (CHN) teaching role at Mark Elrod Senior Towers in fall of 2014. This year, I am in my second teaching (CHN) role at NAHA Riverview Towers. The experiences that I have received in this role have been so positive and rewarding to me, as well as to the nursing students.

In the fall of 2014, I began a career path planning, in which my nursing career has involved 18 years of psychiatric nursing. Through the experience with NAHA and support of faculty mentors and advisors, I was able to solidify my career path as a mental health nurse practitioner with continuation of a doctorate in public health nursing. I knew I was on the right path toward my career goals when NAHA presented IUS School of Nursing with a National Public Housing Award.

I am presently enrolled in a graduate program at IUPUI in the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program; and as a research assistant in the Center of Research and Scholarship (CRS) for the School of Nursing at IUPUI. I also have a clinical faculty role in a mental health course at IUS.

Just as NAHA has been a lighthouse for many in need, it has been a spark that lit my passion for communities and individuals with mental health illnesses. I truly believe that “without mental health there is no health at all”. I am very elated to be part of a growing community that cares and go great extent to providing programs and assistance to help individuals live a better quality of life. Again, my heart is humble for all you do and for the partnership with IUS.

Rosalind Williams, BSN, RN