Over the course of several AMOS small group “house meeting” campaigns over the last 15 years the pressures families feel in relation to affordable, quality mental health care has slowly risen to the top two or three issues identified by central Iowa families.
Three years ago, the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Greater Des Moines chapter (NAMI) joined AMOS as a member institution and through our on-going relationship with them, AMOS has tackled mental health care reform as a critical issue that must be addressed in our state.
AMOS, NAMI and many other organizations joined forces with the Iowa legislature three years ago and began the arduous process of state mental health care redesign. With critical leadership provided by a bi-partisan group of legislators like Renee Schulte, Dave Heaton and Jack Hatch, we were successful in passing mental health care redesign.
As a result the waiting list for mental care services from Polk County, which used to number in the hundreds has now been completely eliminated! We will continue to monitor this important issue and push for on-going reform and appropriate funding to ensure central Iowa families get the mental health care they deserve.
For more information about Iowa’s mental health care redesign and its interface with the Affordable Care Act, click here: http://www.iid.state.ia.us/useexchange
To join the AMOS Mental Health Issue Reseach Team contact Bob Glass at: b.b.glass[at]att.net
To learn more about NAMI – Greater DSM go to: www.namigdm.org