The Heart of Iowa Community Services of Greene, Guthrie, Dallas and Audubon counties recently approved two mental health crisis programs.

Committee member Dawn Rudolph says they have started construction on a new crisis care center in Woodward.

The facility at 706 Cedar Avenue will be a short-term care center for those with mental health issues, but don’t need to be hospitalized.  Rudolph points out that Genesis Development will be the provider and operator and HICS will pay for the renovation.

Rudolph notes that the renovation costs will be $550,000.  The funds will come from each of the county’s regional fund balances.  Greene County’s expense is expected to be $100,000.  Construction should be completed within 120 days.

Another service is establishing Mobile Crisis Units.  Mental Health Coordinator Diane Jackson explains how trained mental-health staff will be used in different situations.

“Where whenever the police receive a call of someone in a mental health crisis that they can call this person who will meet them there, at the person’s home, to see if they can defuse the situation or help in any way.”

Two people have been hired through Eyerly Ball. Nicole Passehl from Anita and Jennifer Kessler from Guthrie Center are both receiving training to be part of the Mobile Crisis program.