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Grading the States 2009 Report Card: Iowa
In 2006, Iowa’s mental health care system received an F grade. Three years later, it receives a D. Iowa has charted a course for progress, but much work remains to be done. Full narrative (PDF).
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Health Promotion and Measurement: D 25% of Total Grade
Basic measures, such as the number of programs delivering evidence-based practices,
emergency room wait-times, and the quantity of psychiatric beds by setting.
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Financing & Core Treatment/Recovery Services: D 45% of Total Grade
A variety of financing measures, such as whether Medicaid reimburses providers for all, or part of evidence-based practices; and more.
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Consumer & Family Empowerment: F 15% of Total Grade
Includes measures such as consumer and family access to essential information from the
state, promotion of consumer-run programs, and family and peer education and support.
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Community Integration and Social Inclusion: D 15% of Total Grade
Includes activities that require collaboration among state mental health agencies and other state agencies and systems.
Innovations
- Mental Health Systems Improvement initiative
- Expansion of co-occurring disorders treatment
- Crisis services pilot projects
Urgent Needs
- Uniform statewide data collection system
- Crisis response and stabilization services
- Address mental health workforce shortage
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"The system is too confusing. It’s impossible to know what happens from county to county in Iowa."
"We have no hospitals that deal with mental emergencies. We waited several hours to find an open bed in a facility that could hold our family member. If our community can’t house the mental emergencies in the local hospital, what are we to do???"
"The supported housing program in our community is a wonder and is very important to our family member. It is a model for others across the state."
