Disaster Assistance

At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be difficult. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone.

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides emotional support for people in distress in the U.S.
• 24/7/365 via text, call, and chat services. No judgment, just help

Alert Iowa is the State of Iowa’s official emergency notification system. Through Alert Iowa, state and local officials are able to utilize a single, statewide notification system that provides local control of how and when to disseminate emergency and public safety messages to residents. Learn if your county is participating and sign up now to receive free alerts via text message, email, and/or voice message.

You can sign up for Alert Iowa through text opt-in, through an online opt-in page, or by downloading the Smart911 App.

Availability may vary by county, but features include:

• weather alerts
• county or community-specific alerts
• alerts in multiple languages
• access and functional needs registry
• alerts received via voicemail or text.

Sign Up to Receive Emergency Notifications
Sign up to receive alerts in your county. Residents can sign up using three different processes.

• Create a profile through your county’s website opt-in page. Sign up for the alerts you want to receive through your county’s web page.
• Download the Smart911 app and create a customized profile. Receive targeted community and weather alerts. Download the Smart911 app for free and opt-in to plan ahead for emergencies.
• Send a text message to opt-in. This is the quickest way to sign up. Send a text message to 672-83 with your County Name followed by IA. Example: FremontIA

Download Sign Up Guide. Download Sign Up Guide En Español

Animal-assisted therapy partnering with first responders and with community outreach efforts.

https://yourlifeiowa.org/get-help/crisis-services

Environmental Protection DNR Environmental Protection  

• Air quality, water quality, land quality, animal feeding operations, household hazards materials, 
• Environmental Protection
• septic tanks, report spills, animal feeding operations, water 

Flood Plan Management DNR Flood Plan

DNR Grants DNR grants

Flooding Resources

State Agency Resources

• Management of flooded grain and hay, including disposal, fact sheet (DNR & IDALS)
• Flooding and Stored Grain, including damaged structure concerns, factsheet (ISU)
• Management considerations for soils post-flooding
• To apply for assistance to recover from recent flooding, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362
• Iowa Concern Hotline: As Iowans deal with this devastation, stress can take a toll. To find help regarding stress, disaster recovery, or legal education, call the toll-free hotline at 1-800-447-1985. 
• Road updates: For information about interstate and state highway road closures you may dial 511 or obtain information online. 
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources disaster assistance information
• Farm debris, waste and disposal fact sheet (DNR)
• Iowa Insurance information: If Iowans have questions or concerns regarding their insurance coverage, they can contact the Iowa Insurance Division at 515-281-5705. 
• To volunteer with livestock relief, contact your local Emergency Response Coordinator. 
• Determining the nutrient value of land-applied, flood-damaged corn and soybean grain (ISU Extension) 

Federal Agency Resources

• USDA Emergency Farm Loans 
• USDA Reference Guide for federal assistance. 
• Guidelines for evaluating the safety of flood-affected food crops for human consumption (FDA) 
• Farmers.gov recovery resources 
• List of county USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices
• Livestock Indemnity Program Fact Sheet (USDA FSA) 
• For crops that were not insured but were destroyed by a natural disaster (USDA FSA) 
• Protecting livestock during a disaster (USDA APHIS) 
• Emergency Conservation Program Fact Sheet: ECP can provide some cost-share assistance to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters. It also can provide cost-share assistance to help restore fences damaged or lost due to natural disasters (USDA FSA). 

IMPACT Community Action Partnership reduces the barriers and burdens that families in poverty experience by increasing access to essential needs. Assistance may be available for food and personal hygiene, utilities (heat, water, and cooling), housing (rent, deposit, and mortgage), and emergency needs. All services are available in the office, over the phone, and by a scheduled home visit. Several programs can also be accessed via online application, email, or postal mail. See our website or contact our team by phone or email to learn more. May offer assistance with emergency applications, such as those related to flood or weather damage events. 

Housing: 

• Utilities: LIHEAP (Low Income energy assistance program) help. Heat, water, and cooling. 
• Housing: Rent, deposit, and mortgage. 
• HOME ARP funds - allow eligible individuals with housing start-up costs (application fees, deposit, rent, and utility arrears).  This program is for those who have been recently released from incarceration in the last year.
• HOME CHAMP program -  a housing assistance initiative in Iowa, a collaboration between IMPACT Community Action Partnership and Wellpoint. It provides case management and direct financial assistance for housing costs to eligible Wellpoint members in Iowa. 
• Air Conditioner/Fan Program: limited supplies

Food Cards: IMPACT Resource Centers located in counties where we do not have a food pantry (Jasper, Marion, and Warren) offer limited access to food cards for local grocery stores. Please call 515-518-4770 to check on the availability of the cards.

RAYS Scholarship: for eligible low-income students to participate in sports, band, dance, etc.

We are a group of heroes who donate our time and resources for children fighting medical battles.

Services Offered: 

• Mobile Crisis Response Team: serves 18 counties, including Jasper County. Eyerly Ball offers a 24/7 Mobile Crisis Response Team for 18 counties. The Mobile Crisis Response Team is an active part of a state-wide crisis system of prevention, response and postvention services, responding immediately to crisis events and providing postvention follow-up services to all clients.
• Children's Behavioral Health
• Counseling and Outpatient Therapy
• Community Support Services
• Urgent Behavioral Health Care
• Integrated Services Project
• Residential Services
• RESTORE First Episode Psychosis Program  Ages 15-40
• Substance Use Services
• Substance use evaluations, treatment, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), Group settings treatment offerings (Ames and Penn Ave)

How to Access Services

To access the Mobile Crisis Response Team, anyone within the 18-county region may call the Crisis Center at 1-855-581-8111. The service is available to all ages. Anyone experiencing a crisis can access the crisis line, whether it is adolescent behavioral issues, depression, anxiety, substance use, suicidal thoughts and everything in between. Trained phone responders will assess the situation and deploy the Mobile Crisis Response Team if an in-person response is deemed to be necessary or helpful.

A trained two-person team will leave as soon as they have been dispatched and will respond to the scene within 60 minutes. Once onsite, the on-call counselors are able to perform crisis assessments and will take the necessary time with the client to:

• Determine if suicidal or homicidal ideations are present
• Determine if de-escalation and stabilization in the field are possible
• Complete a thorough safety plan with the client if they are willing to contract for safety in that moment

If transportation is necessary to ensure client safety, on-call counselors will transport voluntary clients ages 12 and above (with the presence of a parent or guardian for children and dependent adults).

Within 24 hours of the end of the crisis interaction, a case manager will attempt to make contact with the client and is available to provide up to 30 days of case management services. Case management can coordinate appointments, provide transportation for appointments and provide reassurance to clients.

Crisis Stabilization Community-Based Services

Crisis Stabilization Community-Based Services (CSCBS) are short-term services designed to de-escalate an individual experiencing a mental health crisis and stabilize them where the individual lives, works, attends school, or socializes. CSCBS is a voluntary service for individuals in need of a safe, secure location that is less intensive and restrictive than an inpatient hospital. The goal of CSCBS is to stabilize the individual within the community.
Services provided through Crisis Stabilization Community-Based Services include, but are not limited to:

• Psychiatric services and assessment
• Medication management
• Counseling
• Referral to additional Eyerly Ball programs
• Peer support
• Connection to ongoing services and resources

Crisis Stabilization Community-Based Services are offered to individuals who have utilized the Mobile Crisis Response Team in one of the eighteen counties listed above.

Free The Disaster PrepWise program helps individuals and families developed tailored disaster management plans before a disaster or emergency situation happens. As recommended by federal agencies, Disaster PrepWise program uses an all-hazards approach to address various types of emergency situations.

Project Recovery Iowa helps individuals, families, and their communities in recovering from the challenging effects of natural and human-caused disasters through the provision of community-based outreach and educational services. 

Project Recovery Iowa Services

Project Recovery Iowa offers services to individuals, families, and communities affected by disaster, whether it be a natural or man-made event.

Services include:

• Individual and group counseling
• Basic supportive or educational contact
• Community networking and support
• Assessments, referrals, and resources

Education about emergencies.

Emergency management is the coordination and integration of all activities necessary to build, sustain and improve the capability for disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. It is the continuous process by which all individuals, groups and communities manage hazards in an effort to avoid or ameliorate the impacts of disasters resulting from hazards. Effective emergency management relies on thorough integration of emergency plans at all levels of government and non-government involvement.

Call with inquiry.

The mission of the CFSPH is to increase national and international preparedness for accidental or intentional introduction of diseases that threaten food production or public health.

https://www.usa.gov/disaster-financial-help