Mental Health Crisis Response in Iowa

Iowa has many local resources for you to take advantage of if you’re experiencing an urgent mental health trauma. You can find the contact information for the crisis hotline nearest you, here. You may call the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), no matter where you are in the United States. This line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The State of Mental Health in Iowa

Iowa currently ranks 9th in the United States for mental healthcare. Iowa’s Department of Human Services (DHS) has developed the Division of Mental Health & Disability Services (DMHDS) to bring improved and more accessible mental healthcare to all Iowans, by managing the funding and policies that impact the well-being of each resident. Iowa’s current ranking is due to their individualized approach to care. The individuals need for support and community are at the forefront of their care plan. Providers use a flexible approach to meet each patient’s needs. In coordination with the Mental Health and Disability Services Commission, the Mental Health Planning and Advisory Council, and the Olmstead Consumer Task Force, DMHDS aims to find cost-effective approaches to prevention, treatment, and recovery.

What distinguishes Iowa’s approach to mental health is their openness to feedback and suggestions from the individuals within each community. The Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) represents the voices of the individuals with serious mental health illnesses, along with their families and peers. Through education and training, the OCA is working tirelessly to raise awareness of mental health issues within each community. By advocating for those who often don’t have a voice in government, the OCA works to ensure that all providers, counselors, therapists, and psychologists, along with the treatments and therapies they provide, are held to a high standard.

For assistance in navigating treatment for substance abuse in Iowa, call the Iowa Department of Public Health at 1-855-581-8111.

If you are LGBTQ+ and you need support, contact The Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386.

NAMI Iowa

The National Alliance for Mental Illness, or NAMI, is open to anyone struggling with mental illness. NAMI is an inclusive and community-based resource geared towards raising awareness and supporting group members on their journey to recovery. With group counseling sessions led by a trained member with a diagnosis (past or present), meetings follow a set of 12 principles for support. NAMI meetings are meant to complement your existing treatment plan with your counselor or psychologist. There are many chapters of NAMI that meet in Iowa, including virtual meet-ups. Find yours here.

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