Human & Social Services Articles

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  Iowa addiction specialists: Peer support crucial to recovery

  As Iowa legislators continue to debate how best to allocate more than $25 million intended for treatment and prevention of opioid use disorder, the state is embarking on a plan to combine and streamline its mental health and substance use treatment regions — a step some providers say will benefit those seeking care. “Navigating the mental health...
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  Nonprofits struggle to recruit volunteers as demand soars

  Before the pandemic, 70 volunteers at the Des Moines Art Center provided education programming, museum tours and event support. That number dropped to 20 at the beginning of this year, forcing the modern and contemporary art museum to cut back on free guided tours of the center and at the Pappajohn Sculpture Park down the street. Read more stori...
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  Iowa Ideas: Working together to address overlapping human needs

  Needing help can look like a lot of things: Not being able to afford food, not having somewhere to live, not knowing why you feel depressed and anxious. It can be obvious, or it can be hard to see. Social service professionals across Iowa work to address human needs in various ways, and the intersection between their sectors is significant. Food...
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  Not-for-profits stay afloat in challenging times

  Most Iowa not-for-profits were in “survival mode” in 2020 but found creative ways to keep doing their jobs, raise funds and keep their supporters engaged, even when they couldn’t see each other in-person. Many businesses closed their doors or cut back during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
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  Pandemic, poverty and unemployment heighten hunger in Iowa

  Food shouldn’t be something people have to worry about or go without because they have to choose between a meal or paying the rent and their water bill. But it happens on a daily basis across the United States and here in Iowa. Food bank officials have many stories about how many working families cannot provide one meal, not to mention three a d...
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  Tammy Hoyman: Exploring the cliches of 2020

  In difficult times, we search for answers, meaning or messages of hope. Sometimes we find clichés, and sometimes they are what we need. There is a counseling concept that helps us cope with challenges by replacing negative beliefs or catastrophic thinking with messages of optimism or hope that change our view of our reality. These messages of ho...
• Iowa Ideas 2020 replay: The Needs For Youth — Health and Wellness for the Long Term

  A holistic look at the needs and opportunities for youth, from early childhood to young adult. How can human service agencies collaborate for immediate and long term needs of a child? Where can innovation and creativity respond to the growing needs of total child wellness and what ideas are taking shape? Panelists include: Tisha Ritter, YPN; Dan...
• Iowa Ideas 2020 replay: Food Insecurity in Iowa

  Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity was a major issue for families across the state. Then the pandemic came and has stretched many programs even further. How is food insecurity trickling into other aspects of life? What opportunities can Iowans adopt to help reduce the insecurity?iowaideas.com. Panelists include: Deann Cook, Unite...
• Iowa Ideas 2020 replay: Providing Services in a COVID-19 Era

  Panelists include: Emily Walker Blomme, Foundation 2, James Lee III, Boys & Girls Club, Cedar Valley; Debbie Craig, Four Oaks. Moderator: Adam Sullivan, The Gazette. This session was part of the 2020 Iowa Ideas Conference presented by ITC and held Oct. 15-16, 2020. This session originally occurred at 10 a.m.-11 a.m. on Oct. 15, 2020. The tw...
• Iowa Ideas 2020 replay: Opening keynote speaker Carson King

  Carson King is the accidental fundraiser turned philanthropist. What started as a joke at ESPN's "College Gameday" for the Iowa vs. Iowa State game in 2019 led to $600 dollars within a half hour to his Venmo account. King then decided to donate all the funds sent to his account to the University of Iowa's Stead Family Children's Hospital. Over t...