WABASH — Bowen Health broke ground today on its fourth new integrated healthcare facility, this time in Wabash.
When the new building opens near the end of 2026, dental care will be added to existing healthcare services, including primary health care, mental health care, addiction recovery treatment, and life skills coaching.
Breaking ground on the new facility, from left are Eddie Gomez, vice president facilities, Bowen Health;; Rich Hoffman, facilities director, Bowen Health; Shane Waters, executive director, Downtown Wabash; Jay Baumgartner, CFO, Bowen Health; Dr. Rob Ryan, president/CEO, Bowen Health; Lori Augustus, executive director, Bowen Health; Angie Beauchamp, business wwner; Mayor Scott Long, city of Wabash; Shannon Hannon, COO, Bowen Health; and Wabash County Sheriff Ryan Baker. Photos provided by Bowen Health.
“Wabash Bowen was started by three Wabash citizens in 1960,” said Bowen Health President and CEO Dr. Rob Ryan. “They weren’t looking to create the Bowen Health you know today, the 25-plus multi-specialty health system that employs over 1,100 Hoosiers. No, they were simply wanting to do something better for Wabash residents with a serious mental illness. See, prior to 1960 and Wabash Bowen, if you had a serious mental illness, your only option for your loved one was a life spent in the Indiana psychiatric hospital system.”
Over the years, Bowen Health has served tens of thousands of Wabash residents with serious mental illness or addiction in their home county. In fact, says Ryan, since the year 2000, not one Wabash resident has spent time in the psychiatric hospital system.
“For the state and us as taxpayers, the average daily cost for a resident in the state hospital system is $2,000 a day. So, over the years, the partnership between Wabash and Bowen has saved the state and taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Ryan. “Today’s groundbreaking is for a modern, integrative care facility that will add even more years to Wabash residents’ lives. These changes are not just for those struggling with mental illness; much like the problem we solve with the State Hospital, these efforts are also going to save the state and taxpayers money.
Dr. Rob Ryan, president/CEO, Bowen Health
“This is a campus of hope, the community gardens you’ll see sprouting, the walking trails, the activity stations we’re going to build, and this building itself is all designed to provide integrated care.”
“Bowen has been a part of this community for more than 60 years,” said Bowen Health Executive Director, and Wabash native, Lori Augustus. “In that time, it has leaned into innovation and collaboration to create solutions for the problems that we have faced previously and the ones that we’re facing yet today. We’re privileged to work with so many of you and to partner with you along the way, to share the goals of improving the health and well-being of this community. When we cut the ribbon next year, we’ll be building on the successes of the past and helping to create an even brighter future for our patients, our staff, and our community that we love and serve.”
Standing within sight of US 24, Wabash Mayor Scott Long pointed out the importance of providing excellent services for area residents.
“The area is a hub for health care in our community for all ages, and Bowen Health, constructing this beautiful new facility, will ensure that our citizens have additional health care resources available to them,” said Long. “This is especially important in light of cuts to health care funding at both the federal and state level. Many communities in this area struggle to have adequate health care providers, and Wabash is blessed to add additional services for our residents.”
Shane Waters, executive director of Downtown Wabash, knows what it’s like to need help getting through difficult times.
Shannon Hannon, COO, Bowen Health.
“The services that they offer, they’re the same type of services that helped me as an adult work through the issues that homelessness, hunger, all of that, what all that can do, do to you as a person,” said Waters. “The investment that Bowen is putting into the community with the actions that we see behind me, will really help and impact all of those people who will experience hard times.”
The effort to help people live better lives informs all aspects of Bowen Health’s $11 million investment in the Wabash community. The 20,000 square foot building is designed to make sure all aspects are provided for.
“We want to make sure that these buildings are a place for healing, for improvement, so that our patients can go to the next step in their life journeys,” said Eddie Gomez, vice president of facilities at Bowen Health. “I cannot wait to see it busy and for patients to have therapy, but also taking that stigma away from mental health and realizing Bowen Health here is to help support all.”
Longtime Wabash resident and business owner Angie Beauchamp has dedicated a lot of her life helping the area grow and improve. Today, she is also a Bowen Health board member who helped move the current project forward.
Wabash County Sheriff Ryan Baker.
“One thing I know is that when a community has the resources to care for the health and the well-being of its residents, it thrives,” Beauchamp said. “As this community has grown, so has mental health and so has Bowen health, because meeting this community’s needs is why we are here.”
Services provided by Bowen Health are having an increasingly positive impact on public safety in the area.
“My perspective is through the lens of public safety,” said Wabash County Sheriff Ryan Baker, also a member of the Bowen Health board of directors. “The collaboration between Bowen and law enforcement has bridged the gap and reduced officer involvement in cases where individuals are struggling with mental illness. Bowen is a trusted community partner that contributes to our quality of life in more ways than just providing healthcare.”
“This new space will allow us to expand our mental and physical health services and, for the first time, offer dental care to Wabash County,” said Shannon Hannon, COO, Bowen Health. “This ensures more comprehensive, accessible care for all of the residents, and importantly, these services are not just for our existing patients, they’re for everyone in our community who needs them. Our doors are, and will always be, open. It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we stand together with a shared purpose and a deep commitment to the health and well-being of the community.”
The Wabash building project is the fourth to be launched by Bowen Health. New buildings opened in Whitley County in January 2024 and in Marshall County in November 2024. The third will serve Kosciusko County and is expected to open this Fall.
Currently, Bowen Health operates at 255 N. Miami St. in Wabash.
