League Mental Health Study Underway

The nation’s mental healthcare system is “fragmented and in disarray,” according to a 2006 report by President Bush’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.  Iowa, in particular is among the most convoluted mental health systems in the country and receives a failing grade from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).   In response, the League of Women Voters of Iowa has undertaken a comprehensive study of Iowa’s mental health care delivery system. 

“The League of Women Voters holds the position that a basic level of health care, including mental health care, should be available to all,” says Audrey Hauter, president of the Iowa League of Women Voters.  “Here in Iowa, we are concerned about reports that mental health care services are unequal among our 99 counties, that the system as a whole is fragmented, and that mental disorders in children as well as adults often go unrecognized and untreated.”

Iowa was one of eight states that received a grade of “F” in NAMI’s 2006 report. Others include Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, and North and South Dakota. The national average was “D” with neighboring Wisconsin earning a “B,”  Minnesota and Missouri, “C,” and Nebraska a “D.” One reason Iowa received the failing grade was its policy of  “legal settlement” which requires that individuals be county residents, and free of the need for mental health services for at least a year before their new county is responsible for paying.  Such restrictions often lead to inordinate, potentially catastrophic delays in getting services when they are needed. 

Iowa League of Women Voters delegates agreed to undertake the comprehensive study of the state system at their convention last May. The study began in July and will continue through December 2008.  The League members representing various chapters who are involved in the study are:

front, l - r,  Judy Meyers, Barb Sanders (Black Hawk-Bremer),
Jamie Sawin (Jasper Co.),Carol Hagen (Upper Iowa--Decorah),
back, l - r, Sue Richardson, Denise Shadonix (Ottumwa),
Jackie Elfmann (Metro Des Moines), Nancy Brown (Ames), and
Audrey Hauter, state president (Cedar Rapids-Marion).”

The study is being funded by the League’s Education Fund.

In the initial phase, study participants will  identify current state standards and mandates for basic mental health services; determine access to services, especially in rural counties and through community mental health systems;  evaluate availability of  services and professionals, especially psychiatric professionals;   determine inclusion of consumers and families in policy-making at all levels;  document current funding for mental health services;  and identify areas where the system is working successfully and why.  

The League of Women Voters’ tradition is to study issues carefully and comprehensively, and to seek member consensus before developing a position or taking action on issues, according to Hauter.  “Through this study, we intend to play an informed, active and positive role in helping transform mental health care in Iowa.”