CARES Act funds available for mental health and disability services

Northwest Iowa Care Connections (NWIACC) will distribute $608,166 in funding from the Coronavirus Relief Fund under the CARES Act, as part of funds distributed by the Governor of the State of Iowa.

NWIACC is a Mental Health and Disability Services Region. This is a government entity under Iowa Code Ch. 28E that covers Clay, Kossuth, Osceola, Palo Alto, Winnebago, and Worth Counties. The Region sets policy and funding priorities for mental health and disability services for children and adults, as required by Iowa law. The mission of NWIACC is to support improved access to behavioral healthcare through local resources for people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities.

In order to distribute the funds to address mental health needs related to the 2020 COVID-19 health emergency, NWIACC is soliciting proposals from individuals, providers, and school districts in the Region. This is a non-competitive process. No match is required by those applying for and receiving funds.

Some examples of what this money could be used for are the purchase of equipment or other items, additional staff expenses, mental health training or telehealth, marketing material for crisis services, mental health outpatient support services for students and families, consultation services, inform families about available mental health and disability support services, and PPE.

Rather than dictate what the money could be used for, the plan is for potential recipients to identify needs that they have, which these funds could address. These dollars must be for COVID-19 related services and must have a mental health or disability services component. They cannot be used for items already budgeted for or that are covered by or billable to other funders.

Grant applications may be submitted at any time. NWIACC will process them as they are received. The money must be spent by December 10, 2020 to allow NWIACC time to process the expenditures and report to the state.

Applications are encouraged, as NWIACC would like to see the funds used in its region. Money that is not used must be returned to the state or federal government. Grant applications can be found at: https://nwiacareconnections.org/ and click on Cares Act Grant.

For questions, contact Melissa Loehr, CEO of NWIACC, at mloehr@nwiacc.org