Iowa
Mental Health Resources
Note: There is a lot of info here: Click on one of the following links to get to the appropriate section
Iowa Mental Health Info - General
Iowa Medicaid-Related Info
Iowa Mental Health Block Grant Related Info
Iowa Legislative Info
Iowa Mental Health and Disabilities Services System Improvement Efforts
Iowa Mental Health Commitment Laws
Iowa Clincal Research Studies (current)
National Information and resources
General Iowa Mental Health Information
Iowa Mental Health and Disabilities Division
The home page for the division within Iowa DHS that serves as the state mental health authority.
Central Points of Coordination (CPC's)
Listing of contact information for all CPC's in Iowa, by county (pdf format)
Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) in Iowa listed by County
updated Feb 2011
Map of Community Mental Health Centers in Iowa
Mental Health Spending by County
These data, published in the Des Moines Register on Feb 20, 200 detail county expenditures for mental health in 2006 and 2007.
Iowa Mental Health Workforce Issues
Like many states, Iowa is facing a crisis in its mental health workforce. This includes psychiatrists as well as other mental health professionals and providers. This links to several recent reports detailing this.
Polk County Network of Care for Mental Health and Disability Services
This is a useful resource for consumers, families and providers, intended for, but not limited to those in the Des Moines area.
State of Iowa Disaster Behavioral Health Plan
The goals of this document, finalized in April 2006 are 1)To outline and organize state-level behavioral health plans and interventions that are involved in pre-disaster planning, responses to disasters, recovery from disasters and post-disaster evaluations; and 2) To help counties in the development of their disaster behavioral health plans.
DHS Reorganization 2009
Table of organization as of Nov 2009
Iowa Medicaid Related Information
Habilitative Services Program
Information and guidelines on this program, initiatied in 2007, targeted primarily to individuals with mental illness, designed to assist participants in acquiring, retaining and improving the self-help, socialization and adaptive skills necessary to reside successfully in home and community-based settings.
Training on Habilitative Services Program
A powerpoint presentation on the above program developed by Iowa Medicaid to introduce it to stakeholders.
Remedial Services Information
This site is a resource to all parties involved in the delivery of psychological services for people eligible for Medicaid in Iowa.
Medical Assistance Crisis Intervention Team (MACIT) report
This statewide initiative, led by then University of Iowa President Skorton , was carried out in 2005 in order to advise the state on its Medicaid policies in light of significant budget shortfalls.
Iowa Mental Health Block Grant-Related
Community
Mental Health Block Grant and Implementation Reports
Final
versions of Iowa 's Performance Partnership Block Grants
and Implementation Reports. This is for federal money
that is passed through states to enhance the public mental
health system. Iowa receives about $3.7 million/year.
The money is contingent upon completing a very extensive
application and implementation report annually, shown here.
Guidelines
for agencies applying for block grand funds
Information
for mental health agencies in Iowa that have been designated
by their counties as potential block grant recipients.
These materials were those used for the current year monies.
Legislative
Information
Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill 2010
This is the "Notes on Bill and Amendments" (NOBA) from the fiscal services division which details the Health and Human Services appropriations bill (HF 2526) for the 2010 Legislative Session:
Summaries of past legislation pertaining to mental health and disabilities
Summary of 2008 Legislative Session
Summary of 2006 Legislative Session
Mental Health and Disabilities Services System Improvement Efforts
2010 Plan to Transform Iowa's Mental Health and Disability System
This is a website that provides several documents and invites input from stakeholders
2007 Mental Health Systems Improvement Documents
This details the findings from the six workgroup from the Summer/Fall 2007 on recommendations for MHDS systems improvement - released Dec 3, 2007. It also includes the "charter document" on co-occurring disorders.
Evidence-Based Practices Workgroup Report: Fall 2007
Earlier "Redesign" Efforts in Iowa's Mental Health System
System
Design Progress Report - 2005
MHDD
System Redesign Report 2003
Redesigning MH/MR/DD Services in Iowa: Synthesis of Recent Reports and Recommendations
A nice summary of various recommendations to redesign Iowa's disability system, from the late 1990's to the early 2000's; done in 2002 by the Child and Family Policy Center. Also includes a useful chart of recommendations.
Quick Fixes or Structural Reform: An Evaluation of Iowa's Public Mental Health System 
This is a very extensive report, that was commissioned by Iowa's Mental Health Planning Council in 1998, done by the Technical Assistance Collaborative (Boston), sometimes referred to as the TAC Report. It provides an overview of Iowa's MH system at the time, with a variety of recommendations, most of which are still relevant today.
Mental Health Funding in Iowa
This chart was put together by staff in the Department of Human Services in the early 1990's (Larry Allen and colleagues). It was not intended to be humorous, but most people find themsevles chuckling upon seeing it because of its complexity. Indeed, it was used by E. Fuller Torrey in his influential 1996 book "Out of the Shadows: Confronting America's Mental Illness Crisis" as an exemplar of the fragmentation of public funding of mental health services in the US.
"Mental Health Planning in Iowa: 1965" - Summary and Recommendations 
This is a very interesting historical document that summarizes a two year effort in the early 1960's to envision Iowa's mental health system as it transformed from one which was institutionally-based to a community-based system. Valuable reading.
"Mental Health Planning in Iowa: 1965" - Full Report 
This is a long (135 page) document that presents all of the findings of the effort summarized above.
Iowa
Mental Health Commitment Laws
Application
for order of involuntary hospitalization
The
legal code that describes the steps that initiate the process
by which an individual can be brought to a hospital involuntarily
for evaluation
Judge
may order immediate custody
Describes
that legal process by which the person can actually be brought
to the hospital involuntarily, while awaiting a commitment
hearing.
Procedure
after application is filed
Steps
that must be taken after someone is brought in for involuntary
hospitalization, but has not yet had a hearing
Outpatient
commitment
Describes
various aspects of the outpatient commitment process and
what happens when someone on outpatient commitment is not
doing well.
Iowa Courthouses
Locations, phone numbers and other contact information for all of Iowa's county courthouses.
Ongoing
Clinical Research Studies in Iowa
University
of Iowa Clinical Research Studies
This
site lists clinical research studies that are currently
ongoing at the University of Iowa, many of which are seeking
appropriate volunteer participants.
National
Resources
New
Freedom Commission on Mental Health
Reports
from the President's New Freedom Commission
This
links to all of the reports from the commission, including
the executive summary (a must read).
Executive
Order creating the Commission
The
objectives and mandate of the commission
ICMH
and NIMH Outreach Partnership Program
The
Iowa Consortium for Mental Health is part of the NIMH Outreach
Partnership Program, a nationwide outreach initiative of
the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) that enlists
State and national organizations in a partnership to help
close the gap between mental health research and clinical
practice, inform the public about mental health disorders,
reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental
illness, and increase the public's awareness of the importance
of basic and clinical research in advancing knowledge of
the brain and behavior. \\
NIMH
Clinical Trials
Information
on what clinical research studies are currently ongoing
in psychiatry around the country. Includes contact
information if you or someone you know may wish to participate
as a research subject. Progress can not be made without
these studies, and these studies can not go on without appropriate
participants.
Do
you suffer from a mental disorder? Or do you know someone
who does?
NIMH
offers information about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
of mental illnesses. Included are brochures and information
sheets, reports, press releases, fact sheets, and other
educational materials.
