CICS Indianola Gets a New Transitional Living Center

Indianola Gets a New Transitional Living Center

An example of an Eyerly Ball Transitional Living Center (Photo Courtesy: Eyerly Ball).

A new transitional living center has arrived in Indianola. The center, which aims to help people transition from hospitals, jails and prisons to every day life, offers people with mental disabilities a 90–day refuge, including a free room, food and basic needs.

This is Eyerly Ball’s third transitional living center. The company offers community mental health services in several counties. CICS works with Eyerly Ball to operate the facility and help individuals in need utilize it as a resource. People who use the transitional living center must be referred and go through a screening process before they move in to ensure they aren’t a threat to themselves or the community.

The following criteria prohibit consideration of admission to the center:

•	The person is under arrest.
•	The person is actively psychotic, suicidal or homicidal.
•	The person is over the legal limit or impaired due to drug use.
•	The person has acute medical needs.
•	The person has a high risk of violence or is otherwise a danger to themselves or others.

The transitional living center houses people who need extra time getting on their feet after being released from jail, prison or a hospital, or those identified as needing 24–hour support. It helps people in a variety of ways, including finding jobs, making sure they’re getting to appointments, making sure their mental health is in a good place and finding affordable housing. The Indianola center is free of charge to those who need it.

Read the full article about the new center from the Des Moines Register.

Services Spotlight

Beginning July 1, CICS will fund individuals with a brain injury in partnership with the Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa. The two groups are offering a one-day conference on Thursday, July 20 for professionals who work with brain injury. The focus will be on evidence–based and best practice concepts to best serve Iowans affected by brain injury.

The conference will offer 7.5 continuing education units for nursing, social work, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology through DMACC IBON #22.

Register Here

Calendar of Events

July 11

CICS Advisory Board Meeting
Story County Human Services Center — Multipurpose Room
126 S. Kellogg Ave., Ste. 001, Ames | 1:30 p.m.

July 18

Central Iowa Recovery Graduation
Seven Oaks Ski Lodge
Boone | 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

July 20

CICS & BIAIA Present: Essentials of Brain Injury Services and Supports
Holiday Inn
Ames | Registration Required

July 21

CICS & BIAIA Present: Family and Caregiver Workshop and Resource Fair
Holiday Inn
Ames | Registration Required

July 24

CICS General Meeting
Story County Administration Building
Nevada | 9:00 a.m.

July 27

CICS Governing Board Meeting
Story County Administration Building
Nevada | 1:00 p.m.

By the Numbers

Suicide is the

9th leading cause

of death in Iowa

Iowa Ranks
31st in the nation

for suicide death rates

Suicide costs Iowa a

total of $441,111,000

of combined lifetime medical and work loss cost in 2010, or an average of $1,185,783 per suicide.

*Statistics from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

CICS in the Real World

Friendship Ark Homes and Community Services
Many of us take transportation for granted, but for those living with a mental, intellectual or developmental disability, getting from point A to point B isn’t always a simple task. In July, CICS is highlighting this issue, hoping to educate both clients and the public on ways transportation services make a difference for those who need them most.

In 2004, the United States government conducted a study on transportation hurdles for these populations. Through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Center for Mental Health Services, the article “Getting There: Helping People with Mental Illnesses Access Transportation” highlights the Five A’s: current barriers facing mental health customers:”

1.	Affordability: In addition to their mental disability, many mental health consumers face the disabling effects of poverty. Those who rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or other income supports often cannot afford to own a car or even to use public transportation regularly.
2.	Accessibility: Public transit is becoming more accessible to people with physical disabilities, but many people with mental and other hidden disorders continue to have a difficult time using transit systems. Even specialized transportation programs present difficulties, such as advanced scheduling requirements, that limit users’ abilities to get where they need to go and the freedom to do so as they choose.
3.	Applicability: In many communities, there are programs abound for people with unmet transportation needs, but too often, mental health consumers are not eligible. Other programs, for which they are eligible, are available only for limited purposes.
4.	Availability: Some communities offer few if any transportation solutions; many rural communities have no public transit. In other communities, public transit schedules greatly limit when and where people can travel.
5.	Awareness: Many mental health consumers do not know about the transportation opportunities that are available or how to use them.

CICS works with a variety of partners to help these individuals access the transportation services they need to improve their quality of life. Take one client from Iowa Falls who received assistance with transportation through CICS and Access, Inc.

“Having access to a vehicle at the Access home was awesome. I was able to go to my appointments and get around town easily,” he said.

You can learn more about CICS transportation services here.

Provider Profile

HIRTA Public Transit

HIRTA provides door-to-door transit services in Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story and Warren counties. All rides are open to the general public, including persons with disabilities. Beginning July 1, HIRTA will no longer subcontract its transportation service out to Boone County Transportation, as the latter group will begin providing it themselves.

Three Easy Steps to Ride HIRTA

1. Schedule a ride.
Call 1-877-686-0029 and let us know the date, time and destination. You can also schedule a ride directly through your county provider. To ensure a ride, a 24–hour advanced reservation is recommended. To change or cancel your ride, please call us as soon in advance as you can. If you don't cancel and the bus arrives to pick you up, you will be considered a no-show and may be charged a no-show fee. Learn more about HIRTA Service Policies.

2. Get on the bus.
It is always a good idea to be ready for your pick up at least five minutes early. If you need assistance, the driver can assist you to and from your door to the bus, and from the bus to your door.

3. Ride safely.
All passengers must be seated and wear their seatbelt. If you use a wheelchair or scooter, or need additional assistance, our drivers will make sure you are secure.

More information on fares and services can be found here.

About CICS

Senate File 504 tasked each MHDS Region to convene a stakeholder workgroup with representatives from hospitals, the judicial system, law enforcement, managed care organizations, mental health providers, crisis service providers, substance abuse providers, NAMI and other entities as appropriate to create collaborative policies and processes relating to the delivery of, access to and continuity of services and supports for individuals with mental health, disability and substance use disorder needs, particularly for individuals with complex mental health, disability and substance use disorder needs. CICS will hold our meetings:

July 24th, August 28th and September 25th at 9:00 a.m. at the Story County Administration Building in Nevada, IA.

CICS 126 S. Kellogg Ave. Suite 001, Ames, Iowa 50010

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