For people leaving incarceration, a new path to healthcare starts in an Indianapolis parking lot

Healthcare often isn’t the first priority for people reentering the community after incarceration. It can be hard to access, expensive and overshadowed by more urgent needs — like housing, food and employment.

But a new partnership on Indianapolis’s near northside is trying to change that.

The nonprofit Public Advocates in Community re-Entry, or PACE, supports people impacted by the criminal legal system. To help their clients access care, PACE is teaming up with Aspire Indiana Health to bring services directly to them — through a mobile clinic called MACY, or Mobile Access Care for You. 

Rhiannon Edwards, executive director of PACE, said the partnership helps bridge the trust gap for clients who may be wary of healthcare systems or unfamiliar providers.

“There is a lot of distrust with this population, and so having a trusted party, such as us, say, ‘Hey, you know, we like them. They're our partner. They're sitting right out front.’ It just makes it easier to get them to engage,” Edwards said.

But the mobile clinic isn’t just serving PACE clients, it’s available for anyone who needs care. The mobile program run by Aspire Indiana Health is part of efforts to serve people without easy access to health, including those who are unhoused or have mental health and substance use disorders.

Mary Giesel, Community Engagement Manager for Aspire, said having the mobile unit parked at the PACE building removes a major barrier for people seeking care.

“That helps to eliminate some of the barriers of not trusting where to go and how to get there,” Giesel said. “So being right outside their door makes it even easier.”

While other free clinics exist throughout Indianapolis for people experiencing reentry or homelessness, MACY offers something different. It can serve as an ongoing primary care provider, Giesel said, keeping medical records and helping manage chronic conditions over time — all without fear of judgment.

“They know they're not going to be met with judgment there,” she said. “They're going to be met with, ‘What can we do to help you move forward?’”

Farrah Anderson is an investigative health reporter with WFYI and Side Effects Public Media. You can follow her on X at @farrahsoa or by email at fanderson@wfyi.org.