INGALLS — It truly is a dream come true.

Keelie Howard had driven by the cabin-like, two-story structure in Ingalls, just off W. Broadway Street, many times.

She had admired the building, formerly Green’s Auto Sales.

“Growing up, I always thought this was the coolest building. Passing it, I always thought it was so neat,” said Howard, who grew up in the area and is a 2009 graduate of Pendleton Heights High School.

That building is now home to Howard Health, LLC, which provides mental health services for youths and adults. It provides therapy, case work, life skills and supervised visitation and also wrap-around services through Indiana Department of Mental Health and Addiction.

The business conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Madison County Chamber of Commerce on April 1.

Howard began the business in 2018 as a community-based organization, going to homes and schools to provide services. This is the first office setting, which began operations in November 2021, where they have just recently been approved for Medicaid enrollment as a mental health outpatient center.

Howard said they are still in process of obtaining approval for private insurance.

They can now provide walk-in services. Previously, all work was contracted through Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Indiana Department of Child Services and other governmental agencies.

Founder and CEO, Howard worked as a police officer before beginning her business that has 20 employees, both part- and full-time.

“I’ve always had a passion for helping the community,” she said. “I started as a police officer but felt more driven for the social work side of serving. I’ve been a provider myself, working with families and kids and wanted to bring something to the area I grew up in.”

Howard worked with the Indiana Department of Correction, Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility and as a police officer in Noblesville. Prior to that, she worked with Department of Child Services.

“It opened my eyes to social work,” Howard said. “I was gung-ho on law enforcement. Growing up, I rode with Anderson officers, but I wanted to be able to help people more in a different capacity other than being a police officer. Being able to stick with them from the beginning to end of their services. That’s what I really wanted to do in the social work field — create a place where we could get involved when things were at its worse, but stay involved until they were in a better place.”

After graduating from Pendleton Heights, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social justice at Miami University of Ohio. She completed a Master’s of Science in Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati.

Prior to purchasing the 5,000-square foot building that housed both the car business and a private residence, Howard bought the yellow house next to the building from the same owners for use as an administrative office.

When owner Tim Green looked to sell the car business/residence, Howard jumped at the opportunity to own the building she had marveled from afar.

“When we bought the yellow house in 2020, Tim knew we were going to use it as our agency,” Howard said. “We stayed in contact. He mentioned he was looking to sell it and asked if we could use it for the company and transition into this space, which was a dream.

“When we bought the little yellow house, I told my husband the goal one day would be to have that (bigger) building. He said, ‘What would you do with all that space?’

“I said, ‘I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.’ It’s very cool how it all worked out. It’s been amazing.”

Howard said most of their work, which includes supervised visitations, has come from families involved with the Department of Child Services and from Madison County, but the company also serves surrounding counties, including Hancock, Hamilton, Delaware, Marion, Shelby and Henry.

“(I am) honored and feel grateful for the support the community has provided,” Howard added. “I am thankful to be able to serve in the area I grew up in.”