MHC Information

235 South Eisenhower Ave.
Mason City, Iowa 50401-1562
Telephone (641)424-2075
Toll Free (800) 700-IOWA
Fax(641)424-9555
www.mhconi.org

Serving North Iowa Since 1955

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Information

Information and Education Resources	Consultation and Community Planning
Farm and Rural Iowa Services Grants	Alternative Dispute Resolutions
2007 to 2012 Strategic Management Goals	Iowa Plan for Suicide Prevention
Program Plan 2007-2008	2007 to 2012 Strategic Management Plan
Survivor of Suicide Support Group	Teen Screen 2007
Teen Screen 2006


Mental Health Information and Education Resources	Top of Page
Do you have questions or want to know more about a mental health topic that is of concern to you? The Mental Health Center of North Iowa has professional mental health information and educational resources that may be of help to you. The Mental Health Center has trained mental health professionals who are available to take calls and to meet with family and significant others who have questions or issues of a mental health nature. Knowing more about a topic or subject can often be helpful in understanding how to help. Such resources cannot include a release of information about a consumer served at the Center but is targeted to answer general questions held by the interested party.
The Center also maintains a user friendly library of information on mental health topics including audio tapes, video tapes and pamphlets. A sampling of the topics available through the Center’s library include:
Anxiety Stress Depression Medication Management Bipolar Disorder Schizophrenia Parenting Skills
The Center is also available by engagement to provide mental health talks and workshops to organizations and community groups. Arrangements and fees can be discussed by contacting the Mental Health Center at *(641) 424-2075* or its toll free number (800) 700-IOWA [4692]. Crisis intervention, staying safe, suicide and risk assessments, depression, and strength-based services are among the topics available.
The Center also periodically hosts parenting and mental health forums. You are invited to revisit this site for updates on these public meetings. For more information.... Click Here	Top of Page

Mental Health Consultation & Community Planning	Top of Page
The Mental Health Center of North Iowa is available to provide a range of consultation services. The Center has trained mental health professionals who are available to meet or to discuss with individuals or families on their mental health concerns. We support consumers to actively consider the involvement of their natural support systems in their contacts with the Center. There may be times when family, friends or loved ones may have concerns about their own role in helping and are not directly involved with a consumer’s service. There may be questions about treatment and how it works. Consultation may help in these areas. This service considers and explores the concerns from the perspective of the caller or party interested in assistance and based on information given by them. However, consultation is not treatment and cannot draw on therapy or treatment information of the consumer.
Some examples of commonly asked requests of family consultation include:
How do medications work to help recovery? How does therapy work to help recovery? How do you help someone who doesn’t want help? What do I do when someone I know and care about is talking about hurting him or herself? What are the signs of depression?
You may contact the Mental Health Center at *(641) 424-2075* or its toll free number (800) 700-IOWA [4692] and ask to speak to our Managed Care Coordinator or a mental health professional.

Farm and Rural Iowa Services Grants	Top of Page
A grant covering the costs of consultation, assessment and brief intervention has been made available to the Mental Health Center . This grant can cover the consumer’s portion of any service charges incurred by individuals or families at the Mental Health Center . The grant covers mental health conditions for Iowa ’s farmers and persons living in a rural environment. This grant may well include you or someone you know. We want to be sure that everyone who wants to can take advantage of this grant. The grant is only for brief or limited intervention and the Mental Health Center will bill insurance companies (as applicable) for these services. The Mental Health Center does have a sliding fee schedule which provides for reduced fees to consumers whose income fits within the fee schedule. This grant will pick up the costs that would otherwise be paid by the consumers. If further services are indicated beyond the three to five sessions provided for by the grant, such a recommendation will be made. However, consumers going beyond the three to five sessions limit provided by the grant would be subject to the Mental Health Center ’s regular service charges.
It is hoped that this grant can help individuals and families through brief timely intervention by helping to assess or directly intervene into their mental health concerns. The grant has the additional benefit of helping individuals get started into services that they may otherwise have been considering but did not think they could manage financially.
This grant also provides for the Mental Health Center to provide consultation and educational presentations to groups and organizations.
If you are interested in knowing more about this grant, please contact us here at the Mental Health Center of North Iowa at
(641) 424-2075 or (800) 700-IOWA [4692].

Alternative Dispute Resolutions	Top of Page
Alternative dispute resolutions are now available and may be right for you. Mediation and family group decision-making services are being offered by the Mental Health Center of North Iowa. As a partner in the Iowa Supreme Court Improvement Project, the Mental Health Center will be one of five organizations that will be able to make referrals to specially trained mediators and family group facilitators. Mediation is a voluntary process that one engages in as an alternative method to resolving conflict. Family group decision-making is a similar process using specially trained facilitators to help families reclaim key decisions and implement those decisions using their own decision-making and family resources. Community resources can also be included as supports to the family in this process. A grant can offset the costs for some referrals if the type of disputes and concerns addressed meet the conditions of the grant. A more extended review of these two dispute resolution services can be found in the Topics of Interest section of our web page or Click Here.
Please contact the Mental Health Center if you are interested in more information or would like to consider one of these services at
(641) 424-2075 or (800) 700-IOWA [4692].

Alternative Dispute Resolution Options In Mental Health	Top of Page
The Mental Health Center of North Iowa offers two services that share the same goal—finding ways to resolve disputes through voluntary decision-making of the participants. Mediation and family group decision-making venues seek to build on strengths and solution finding in the context of problems and conflict. Both share a philosophical basis where the individuals are encouraged to build on their options and strengths in a non-adversarial process.
Mediation
Mediation provides for a facilitator to meet with the affected parties to address solutions for a defined conflict. Mediation is a voluntary process where the parties agree in advance to meet and enter into a facilitated dialogue on how to address the issues and the conflict. Often, mediation can be handled in one or two sessions lasting several hours each time. Mediation is not intended to be on-going or extended. It is important to know that the mediator will be neutral and will not advocate or take sides. Mediation will draw on the participants to identify and arrive at their own desired outcomes.
Family Group Decision-Making
Family group decision-making is sometimes referred to with slightly different terminology such as family group conferences. This service starts with a person with a conflict. A trained facilitator arranges to work with the person and their family and other interested parties. A meeting is planned that will bring everyone together. Those who agree to participate are expected to come with the best interests of the person involved and to offer their best thinking. Other resources and professionals may be invited to be present, but serve only as resources to the family. The issue or conflict is defined and the family is asked to follow a process to address the conflict and build a safe and sustainable plan with all the resource people, including the facilitator stepping out. The family is given as much time as they need and can re-invite the facilitator or resource people back in for specific assistance to them as they do their work. Eventually, the family completes its work towards a plan and the facilitator returns to discuss the details of the plan. Once a plan can be developed and committed to by the participants, it is then reduced to writing for those involved to follow.