"Supporting... People, Choices & Strengths!"
The Pottawattamie County Community Services Department serves persons with disabilities, including, Mental Retardation, Chronic Mental Illness, Serious Emotional Disturbances, and Developmental Disabilities (MH/MR/SED/DD). Funding for services, as well as case planning is available through the Community Services Department for individuals who meet eligibility guidelines.
Community Services consists of four divisions:
- Targeted Case Management
- Social Work
- General Assistance
- Central Point of Coordination
Each division works with people to coordinate individual service needs.
Pottawattamie County Targeted Case Management serves persons with a diagnosis of Mental Retardation, Chronic Mental Illness, Serious Emotional Disturbance or a Developmental Disability. Targeted Case Management is a Medicaid funded program; therefore, the individual has to be receiving Medicaid benefits in order to access this service. Case Managers link individuals to service agencies and support systems responsible for providing the necessary direct service activities and coordinate and monitor those services. Persons enrolled in case management will work with their team to identify the goals they wish to achieve, and the services needed to help them achieve those goals. The case manager is a key member of the individual’s team in helping them plan and access services. The Case Manager acts as an advocate to help the individual achieve their desires. For more information regarding the Pottawattamie County Case Management program, call the Intake Supervisor at 712-328-5812.
The Social Work division is a County program also designed to assist individuals with a diagnosis of Mental Retardation, Chronic Mental Illness, or Developmental Disability with accessing support services. Individuals do not need to be receiving Medicaid benefits to access this program. They work with individuals with disabilities to assist them to maneuver the sometimes-confusing mental health and social service system. Many individuals accessing this program have immediate needs causing crisis in their lives. The Social Workers in Pottawattamie County also work with individuals who are receiving services in Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded to assess their continued level of service need. For more information regarding this service, call the Intake Supervisor at 712-328-5812.
General Assistance is also a part of the Community Services Department. The General Assistance (GA) program assists persons in need of rental, utility or medication assistance contingent upon qualification of programs available. General Assistance can offer three separate programs depending on individual need: the poor program, back to work program, and one time assistance program. The GA Specialist obtains information regarding eligibility verification for this program. To find out more about this program, call the General Assistance office at 712-328-5867.
The Pottawattamie County Community Services Department is the access point for obtaining MH/MR//DD services through the Central Point of Coordination Administrator (CPC). The CPC in Pottawattamie County is the person who approves eligibility and funding for services. This Administrator determines a person’s eligibility for services as well as legal settlement, which identifies what county has financial responsibility for individuals accessing MH/MR/DD services. All claims for services are processed through the CPC office. For more information regarding this service, please contact 712-328-5645.
Directions to our office:
We are located across the street and southeast of the Pottawattamie County Courthouse in the “Pottawattamie County Services Building” (previously the National Guard Armory). The address is 515 5th Avenue. Council Bluffs, IA 51503.
Appointments for all offices are preferred. |
