Iowa’s community-based, person-centered mental health and disability services system provides locally delivered services that are regionally managed within statewide standards. Local access to mental health and disability services for adults and children with severe emotional disturbances are provided by established mental health and disability services regions to residents of Iowa regardless of the location of their residence.
Regional leaders, guided by the regional management plan, coordinate quality community services that support individuals with disabilities in obtaining their maximum independence.
Additional information on Iowa’s Mental Health and Disability Services system includes:
- Map of Approved MHDS Regions
- Regional CEO Contacts
- Regional Coordinators of Adult Disability Services
- Regional Coordinators of Children's Behavioral Health Services
- DHS Community Systems Consultants (CSC Staff)
- Regional Services Waiting List
Service Data
Regional Service Data is submitted by December 1st of each year. Data available by fiscal year includes:
-
Regional Expenditures Report
-
Unduplicated Persons Served by Service Report: Number of persons by type of service and disability group. This information is unduplicated by service only.
-
Persons Served Report: Unduplicated number of persons served
Based on data submitted by Iowa MHDS Regions by December 1st of each year, a statewide dashboard is developed that provides implementation and accessibility of core services to individuals who fall within the target service population including mental illness and intellectual disabilities, implementation and accessibility of "core plus" services, the extent to service provided to other populations such as children, and individuals with developmental disabilities and brain injury, utilization of MHDS Regional funded services, and utilization of MHDS Regional funding.
Regional Operational Guidance
- MHDS Regional Operational Guidance 2021-01
- MHDS Regional Operational Guidance 2021-02
- MHDS Regional Operational Guidance 2022-01
- MHDS Regional Operational Guidance 2022-02
Regional External Websites
Most of the regions have established regional websites that provide more information.
Children's Behavioral Health Services Implementation Plans
Children's Behavioral Health Services Implementation Plans submitted by April 1st* describe the regions' plans to expand their regional service system to include core services for children diagnosed with serious emotional disturbance.
* Due to COVID-19 MHDS Regions were granted an extension until May 1, 2020 to submit their implementation plans.
Complex Service Needs Regional Community Plans
Complex Service Needs Regional Community Plans submitted by October 16, 2017 describe the regions' plans to expand services to individuals with complex service needs.
Regional Service System Management Plans
The Regional Service System Management Plans describe the mental health and disability services provided by MHDS regions. The plans have three components:
-
Annual Service and Budget Plans - updated annually and submitted to DHS on April 1st of each year
-
Annual Reports - updated annually and submitted to DHS on December 1st of each year starting December 1, 2015
County Information
Prior to July 1, 2014, the MHDS system operated on a county basis. This section contains reports submitted by individual counties.
Information about county policies and procedures.
Select a county and view the county service data reports in RTF or PDF format.