Bowen Health has officially opened the doors to its brand-new facility in Wabash. After decades of providing care to Wabash County residents at a previous location, Bowen Health offers a continued commitment to whole body care at the new Bowen Health – Wabash facility, located at 1649 Bowen Dr., Wabash, IN 46992.
Staff began seeing patients at the new location last week, with offerings including primary and psychiatric care, life skills coaching, individual and group therapy, addiction recovery services, and an upcoming addition of dental care, beginning in early 2027.
As an organization focused on patient-centered care, Bowen Health is proud to offer a variety of essential services in one space, making it easier for patients to access multifaceted healthcare support all at once, regardless of their ability to pay.
“Healing is rarely a straight line. Our health is connected and so is the care we provide here. Integrative care is for both the mind and body, under one roof. It’s not a single visit; it is a long journey that we are willing to stand in this community and help support,” said Lori Augustus, Bowen Health Executive Director – Southeast Indiana and a native of Wabash County. “Of all the things this building will offer, belonging may be the most powerful. It’s the feeling that you’re seen, that you matter, and that you are not a diagnosis or a chart number. Belonging means that everyone is welcome, regardless of where they come from, what they are facing, or what they are able to pay. It is what we want every patient, every person, every family, and every neighbor to feel when they walk through our doors.”
Community partners and local leaders also shared more on the history of Bowen Health in Wabash County and hopes for the new location, including Mayor Scott Long from the City of Wabash and Sheriff Ryan Baker from the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office, and also a Bowen Health Board Member.
“Six decades ago, three dedicated citizens right here in Wabash had a simple, but profound vision: To do something better for their neighbors struggling with mental health. They weren’t trying to build Indiana’s largest community mental health center; they were just trying to take care of home,” said Mayor Long. “Today, we are seeing the modern culmination of that vision. For over 60 years, Bowen Health has been a foundational pillar of our community, and this new investment represents a massive leap forward.”
“Today is more than the opening of a building. It represents hope, compassion, and a commitment to making our community stronger and healthier,” said Sheriff Baker. “As Sheriff, I know firsthand mental health plays a significant role in public safety and too often, law enforcement officers are called upon to respond to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. While we will always be here to protect and serve, we also recognize that the best outcomes often happen when individuals have access to the right care, support, and resources before the crisis occurs. Bowen Health represents an important step forward. It provides a place where people can seek help without judgement, find support for themselves and their families, and receive the services they need to move forward. As we cut this ribbon today, we open more than a set of doors. We’re opening doors to hope, healing, opportunity, and a stronger partnership between mental health professionals, law enforcement, and the community we all serve.”
Other community members also shared their personal experiences with Bowen Health, including Christine Flohr, Executive Director of Tourism at Visit Wabash County, and Angie Beauchamp, a Bowen Health Board Member.
During her speech, Ms. Flohr recounted a time in her early twenties where she faced difficult life circumstances that led her to seek therapy. She spoke of her first experience with Bowen Health, finding a therapist that truly listened to her, and the transformation she saw in herself as she received care. Ms. Flohr also noted the impact of the current partnership between Bowen Health and Visit Wabash County.
“I have the privilege of partnering with Bowen Health in ways that extend the spirit of care throughout the community,” said Ms. Flohr. “With Bowen Health’s support, we have been able to reduce the fees for all our children’s programming and help close that gap between the families we reach and those we still hope to serve. Those experiences help build children’s confidence and feel connected to the place that they call home. Bowen Health understands the value of creating those opportunities.”
“In a small town like Wabash, caring for one another means something,” said Ms. Beauchamp. “As Bowen Health has grown from mental health to care for the whole person, the commitment to care for our neighbors remains at its heart. Today, we honor our roots and our future. More ways to find help, more reasons for hope, and a healthier community for generations to come.”
Dr. Rob Ryan, Bowen Health President and CEO, closed out the ceremony by recognizing the impact of Dr. Otis R. Bowen, a former two-term Indiana state governor and Secretary of Health and Human Services, who inspired Bowen Health to update the organization’s name back in the 1970s. Dr. Bowen wrote a book on his life where he mentioned of all of the positions he held, he was the most proud of being a country doctor. Today, Bowen Health strives to provide care through the same community-focused ideals that Dr. Bowen did.
“Here’s what we see in our future. I think Dr. Bowen also understood how important mental health was,” said Dr. Ryan. “Number one, it is locally funded. We have a commitment here to Wabash because all of us contribute to help. There is a part in our heart that we treat every one of those dollars as important and spend them here on people who need it. Number two, it’s led locally. You heard from Lori and other local leaders; our board members are from here. And the last thing that Dr. Bowen saw as a country doctor is a commitment to meet the local needs. Wherever that is in the next 30 years, whatever the latest challenge is, we as leaders here in this building have a commitment to say we’re going to meet that challenge and we’re going to hand it off to another younger generation who will tell that story of the country doctor who understood the importance and value of a small community, and how we stick together and take care of each other.”
