Leading Mental Health Care Non-Profit Ranks Iowa 7th in the Nation up from 13th since 2011
(DES MOINES) – Today, Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds highlighted a new report from Mental Health America – a leading national community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs to those living with mental illness and to promoting the overall mental health of all Americans. In the Mental Health in America 2017 Report, Iowa moved to 7th in the nation based on 2014 data. Iowa moves six spots up in the rankings up from 13th based on 2011 data.
The report shows:
· For adults, Iowa ranks 3rd in the country for prevalence of mental illness with higher rates of access to care.
· For youth, Iowa ranks 11th in the country for prevalence of mental illness with higher rates of access to care.
· Iowa ranks 9th in the country for states providing relatively more access to insurance and mental health treatment.
“This report demonstrates Iowa’s mental health system is serving more Iowans in more modern ways with better services than ever before,” said Branstad. “Over 150,000 Iowans now have mental health coverage through the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan providing greater access to patient-centered mental health care for more Iowans than ever before. Iowans deserve modern community-based mental health care services treating them with dignity and respect, not outdated 19th Century warehouses.”
Reynolds added, “Since 2013, Iowa local and state governments have invested $2.1 billion on mental health care services by modernizing our mental health care system. We have more residential crisis beds, more mobile crisis services, more 24-hour crisis lines, and more jail diversion programs than ever before. Our modern bed tracking system shows we have at any time between 60 and 100 mental health beds open. As this report shows, Iowans have more access to mental health care than ever before in their home and community, which experts agree, is better for the family and the patient.”
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