Overview
The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) established the Indiana Youth Advisory Board (IYAB) to assess and promote youth-targeted public health, mental health and suicide prevention initiatives. The IYAB is made up of enthusiastic young leaders between the ages of 14 to 21. The inaugural board was launched in July 2022 and the second consecutive board was inducted in July 2024.
If you are considering working with youth or creating a youth advisory board, this toolkit is for you. The toolkit includes everything we have learned working alongside youth over the past few years and hope this can be beneficial to anyone looking to engage more youth voices.
Interested in Joining IYAB?
Are you interested in making a difference in public health for youth in Indiana? IYAB might be a great way for you to do that! We are accepting applications for the 2026-2028 Cohort beginning on March 1st. If you want to learn more about public health, and work to make a difference in your community, apply for the Indiana Advisory Board!
Learn more about the position here.
Applications open: March 1st
Applications Close: March 31st
Conference Presentations
IYAB members speak at conferences to educate about youth experiences, needs, and challenges. So far this term, IYAB has spoken at the Preventing Youth Suicide Initiative Kickoff, Northeast Mental Health Summit, and NAMI Indiana Conference.
Public Health Day at the Statehouse
IYAB member and Butler student, Lucia, joined a panel of public health experts at Public Health Day to speak about the importance of youth voice in public health work. This was one of the highest-attended events held at the Indiana Statehouse in recent years.
All Member In-Person Meeting
In the beginning of August of 2025, IYAB welcomed 10 new interim members to serve on the board from August 2025 to May of 2026. Both returning members and our new interim members gathered at the Abe Martin Lodge in Brown County State Park to welcome the new members and plan for the upcoming year with their subcommittees. The members were incredibly productive during their in-person subcommittees, and all are excited to work on the promising projects they plan to work on in the coming months!
- Board Members
Board Members
Allison
Cass County
Avery
Jefferson County
Ayma
Greene County
Clara
Boone County
Erika
Wanye County
Lliana
Vigo County
Jaden
Hamilton County
Jasmine
Elkhart County
Lucy
Johnson County
Mara
Porter County
Michelle
Marion County
Nathan
Marion County
Parina
Johnson County
Rachel
Tippecanoe County
Shivani
Hamilton County
Vicky
Lake County
Abhijay
St Joesph
Arya
Hamilton
Elizabeth
Marion
Ishita
St. Joseph
Madison
Marion
Ranveer
St Joseph
Shu Jing
Lake
William
MonroeNot Pictured:
Baya
DeKalbFinn
Monroe
- Leadership Committee Members
Brian
Bartholomew County
Carys
Vanderburgh County
Elias
Floyd County
Hannah
Bartholomew County
Morgan
Tippecanoe County
Riese
Hendricks County
