Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds discusses mental health challenges with North Iowa law enforcement

KOSSUTH COUNTY – Northern Iowa law enforcement recently told Kim Reynolds that funding cutbacks for mental health facilities and other factors “have lead to a breakdown of emergency services” for people in crisis.

From Kossuth County Sheriff Roger Fisher, September 5, 2023:

Kossuth County Sheriff Roger Fisher and Jail Administrator Bailey Pfeffer recently attended a Northwest Iowa Sheriff’s meeting where Governor Kim Reynolds was invited to attend to discuss mental health issues in Iowa. The group of sheriff’s addressed Governor Reynolds with the issue of lack of beds in Iowa that will accept mental health patients.

In Iowa, Sheriffs are court ordered to transport a person with a mental health or substance abuse crisis to the local emergency room. When a medical doctor determines there is a need for immediate hospitalization, the search for a facility that will accept the person as a patient begins. This process can take anywhere from hours to days to complete. The frustrating part of the system is when facilities have beds available but decline patients for reasons such as: lack of staff, can’t meet the patients needs, the patient has a history of being aggressive or combative, or it seems they pick and choose who they will accept or deny. It then falls on the responsibility of the local hospital (who do not have behavior health special care units or private security to protect staff) and law enforcement to keep the patient and staff secure. The Sheriffs expressed to Governor Reynolds that funding cutbacks, or closing state facilities in past years and the fact that current facilities can decide to accept or deny a patient, have lead to a breakdown of emergency services for a person in a mental health or substance abuse crisis. Questions were discussed as to how or why a facility that receives state or federal funding can deny patient care. Governor Reynolds was very open to hearing the concerns of smaller rural counties where lack of services for mental or substance patients creates a strain on the local hospital and law enforcement. Hopefully these issues will be brought before the state legislation as a priority for Iowans in need of mental health services.

(Photos of Reynolds with law enforcement via Kossuth sheriff)