Jones Co., Sheriff advocate for MHDS access centers

Board of Supervisors
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     Jones County is one of nine counties who are members of the East Central Mental Health Region. The region helps to fund the Mental Health Access Center in Linn County. With that in mind, anyone 18 years or older who resides in one of the region’s serviced counties can utilize the access center.

     During the Nov. 9 Jones County Board of Supervisors meeting, Sheriff Greg Graver and Erin Foster, director of the access center, met with the board to provide them with details on what exactly the access center provides.

     Foster said her presence was facilitated by Jess Wiedenhoff, Jones County Public Health interim coordinator.

     Two years ago, the state mandated that each mental health/disability services (MHDS) region designate an access center. Those centers offer such services as: triage and screenings, mental health screenings, substance use disorder screenings, sobering unit, crisis stabilization, mental health and substance use disorder services, and referrals.

     “Access centers are not new, but they’re new to Iowa,” Foster noted, saying the Linn County center opened in March.

     She equated an access center to urgent care in terms of MH and substance use crisis services.

     “Before people went to the ER (emergency room) acting as urgent care,” Foster said of such services.

     Those who come to an access center do not need an appointment or referral; they can simply walk in for services.

     “We do a brief screening and a lot of discussion about what brought you in today,” Foster said of the initial visit. “The bulk of our patients get all they need at the access center. We can discharge them so they can return home to their community and thrive. And not be in constant crisis.”

     Aside from the Linn County access center, there is also a center in Johnson County. Both work together when it comes to patients’ needs.

     “We’re fortunate that our region has two centers,” praised Foster.

     While everyone in all nine counties, including Jones, has access to the centers, Foster said transportation and proximity can pose a problem.

     While the ultimate goal is to be open 24/7, Foster with staffing shortages, that is not a possibility right now.

     “But we’re still working toward that goal,” she offered.

     When it comes to the crisis services, patients can stay at the center for short-term (three to five day) care.

     “We work with MH providers and connect patients to full MH evaluations, therapy, and counseling services,” offer Foster.

     The center can also refer patients to medication management and adjustments services.

     “Without the center, services like this could take a week to a month to get into,” Foster said.

     They work with such agencies as ASAC for clinical and counseling services.

     The sobering unit just opened on Sept. 1. It’s a place where people can safely sober up and be monitored by EMTs on staff.

     “Our data shows our services are doing what we thought they would do,” Foster said of the successes. “We’re keeping people away from jail.”

     She said 70 percent of those who seek services from the center would never have sought them out if they weren’t available by just simply walking through the front doors.

     Foster said the law enforcement agencies they contract with are a key to the success.

     “Jones County was one of the first counties that we reached out to aside from Linn County,” she said with a nod to Graver who serves on the center’s advisory committee.

     Graver said years ago, before access centers, law enforcement would take people to the hospital for treatment whether that was the appropriate place or not.

     “They’d be put in jail even with a petty crime,” he said. “Or we’d contact a doctor. Those weren’t the best options.”

     Graver said he still thinks about some of the people who were needlessly committed over the years because services like this were not available at the time.

     “It bothers me,” he admitted. “They were stuck in a hospital, and think about what they did to them long-term. An access center is an important piece.”

     With jails, especially in Jones County, facing overcrowding issues, access centers help take the ease off of that.

     “Jail is not the appropriate place to treat people with underlying issues,” continued Graver. “These centers can really affect change. We want these people to be productive members of society and not in jail.”

     Graver said he will continue to be an advocate for the centers.

     With the Linn County center not open 24/7, Graver said that’s where the MH mobile crisis units come into play.

     “The mobile unit is still the first phone call our deputies make,” he said.

     “Mobile crisis is where the bulk of our assessments come from,” added Foster.

     “This will be a trend of the future as more service become available,” praised Supervisor Ned Rohwedder.

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