As a helping heart for our communities, we share tips through our blog on managing mental health struggles and connecting with disability services.
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Signs of substance use disorder
If you’re looking to cut down on substance use, Heart of Iowa Community Services (HICS) can walk you through some options. If you’re concerned about a loved one’s substance use and don’t know where to start, we can help with that, too.
01.04.2024
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It’s the most stressful time of year
While the holidays can be a wonderful time of year, it can also bring specific mental health triggers. For some, it’s too much of a good thing — many gatherings of friends and family, too many presents and special treats to buy. For others, this time of year is a reminder of things lost or voids in their life.
12.05.2023
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Understanding Depression in Older Adults and How To Find Local Help
At Heart of Iowa Community Services, we believe in empowering older adults — those over the age of 65 — and their families with knowledge and resources to navigate the unique challenges this generation faces and promote mental health services.
11.17.2023
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How can you promote mental health?
A decade or two previously, mental health was a completely taboo topic. Still, Generation Xers, baby boomers and older Americans don’t find it comfortable to talk about or seek mental health support. Research shows that millennials and Generation Zers are better able to identify signs and symptoms of mental health struggles and have knowledge of where to seek help. They also are more willing to talk about mental health with others and consider how to help someone who is struggling with mental health.
11.15.2023
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CAPN Services Map Out Better Youth Mental Health Outcomes
Enter Krista Fisher and Neal Koob, two Child and Adolescent Program Navigator (CAPN) staff with Heart of Iowa Community Services. In their CAPN roles, they work between parents, schools, law enforcement agencies and other community partners to shore up mental health options for youth up to 18 years of age and, in some cases of disability, older than age 18.
10.03.2023
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Stay Aware, Be Prepared With Suicide Prevention Resources
As a parent, friend, neighbor or community member, there are a variety of things you can do to be aware of suicide warning signs among the people you see and interact with on a frequent basis. When we know the signs, we can work together to find solutions and help before it’s too late. Trust Heart of Iowa Community Services (HICS) to be an everyday resource for Iowans when it comes to mental health challenges and crisis intervention.
09.21.2023
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How do you comfort someone who is struggling with mental health?
When you struggle with mental health, it can be really difficult to see a light at the end of the tunnel, to feel like you have any control over your life, or to know where to go for mental health support. Friends and family may also feel powerless and uncertain how to help someone who is struggling with mental health.
09.15.2023
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Iowans know — and use — the national 988 number
Over the course of a year, more than 31,000 Iowans utilized the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, according to Foundation 2 Crisis Services and CommUnity Crisis Services, two Iowa agencies contracted with the state Department of Health and Human Services to field calls from across the state. That’s more than double the 12,000 calls a year the agencies have received, on average, in past years.
08.18.2023