Iowa has a population of approximately 3.1 million people. Close to 4.2% of adults in Iowa (according to SAMHSA) live with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression.
Public mental health services in Iowa are administered and provided by the Iowa Department for Human Services–Division of Mental Health and Disability Services. Substance use and addiction treatment services are overseen by the Iowa Department of Public Health–Bureau Substance Abuse.
Only 48.5% of adults with mental illness in Iowa receive any form of treatment from either the public system or private providers (according to SAMHSA). The remaining 51.5% receive no mental health treatment. According to Mental Health America, Iowa is ranked 7 out of the 50 states and Washington D.C. for providing access to mental health services.
Medicaid is a combined state and federal program that provides health coverage to people with low income, including those who are unable to work because of a mental health disability. Residents of Iowa can apply for Medicaid (called IA Health Link in Iowa) through the Iowa Health Marketplace.
Other Iowa Resources
Iowa Department for Human Services–Division of Mental Health and Disability Services
Iowa Department of Public Health–Bureau Substance Abuse
Iowa Medicaid
Iowa 211 – 2-1-1 is a free referral and information helpline that connects people to a wide range of health and human services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To contact 2-1-1 in any state, including Iowa, simply dial the numbers 2-1-1 from any phone.
National Alliance on Mental Illness–Iowa – The National Alliance on Mental Illness is a nationwide advocacy group, representing families and people affected by mental health disorders in the United States. The national organization is organized into state and local affiliates, of which NAMI–Iowa is one.
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