A collaborative initiative to ensure every individual who dies while experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis is met with dignity—and that their story helps inform how we prevent future loss.
Why This Work Matters
Behind every data point is a person.
The individuals reflected in unhoused mortality data are not defined by their circumstances. They are people with histories, relationships, and identities that existed long before their final moments.
Too often, their stories are lost.
This initiative exists to ensure they are not.
A Collaborative Effort
This work is being developed in partnership with the Marion County Coroner’s Office and community-based organizations.
The Task Force brings together voices from:
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Healthcare systems
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Jail and reentry services
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Street outreach organizations
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HMIS-connected providers
Additional partners may be engaged as the work evolves.
What the Task Force Does
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Brings together cross-sector partners to review and understand patterns in unhoused deaths
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Centers the life context behind each individual—not just cause of death
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Identifies gaps across systems such as healthcare, housing, and justice
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Supports trauma-informed, human-centered approaches to response
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Uses insight to inform prevention and coordination across the city
A Different Approach
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This is not an investigative body.
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The Dignity in Death Task Force does not determine cause of death or replace existing systems.
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Instead, it focuses on understanding life before death—
and how systems can respond differently.
From Data to Understanding
Mortality data helps us see patterns.
But data alone cannot tell the full story.
By combining system data with lived experience and community insight, we can better understand the conditions that lead to loss—and where intervention is possible.
Looking Forward
This initiative is in its early stages, with a collaborative launch planned for May 2026.
Our goal is simple:
Fewer lives lost.
More lives supported.
Stay Connected
If you are part of a system or organization connected to this work and would like to learn more, we welcome thoughtful connection as this initiative develops.