Orange City, Iowa — The game of “musical chairs” when it comes to northwest Iowa counties and their mental health regions seems to be winding down according to Shane Walter, CEO of the Sioux Rivers Mental Health Region.
The “game” has continued since the regionalization of mental health in July of 2014 when Walter says most of the counties went “kicking and screaming” into the new normal. He says at that time, each county had handled mental health on its own.
Since then, the counties’ boards of supervisors continued to try to find the best fit based on services available, geography, and other issues.
We asked Walter to peer into his crystal ball and predict if there would be stability in the future for this situation.
(As said:) “I believe most of those counties are happy where they’ve landed, but all that’s still in play for July 1. We’ve got Emmet County joining us come July 1 and that’s already been determined. They’ve already signed a 28E to that effect as have the other counties within the region, so come July first we’ll be comprised of the five counties in the region now and then Emmet County as well.”
The five counties in the Sioux Rivers region at this point are Plymouth, Sioux, Lyon, O’Brien, and Dickinson counties. The other county in our primary coverage area, Osceola County, is in the Northwest Iowa Care Connections region, along with Clay, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Winnebago, and Worth counties. Walter says Hancock County may also join Care Connections. But after July first, Walter says things will probably settle down.
(As said:) “I don’t see a whole lot more musical chairs beyond July of this year. I think most counties have now settled where they’re going to settle. And by in large, I think it’ll stay that way.”
Walter says all counties and mental health regions are scrambling to meet the new mandates and paying for all the new services without any more funding. He says the county levies have been capped since 1996.
