UnityPoint Health says a new Des Moines behavioral health building brings services together and includes an access center for same-day entry and care coordination.
A new behavioral health site
According to the UnityPoint Health press release, a new 15,000-square-foot behavioral health building has opened in Des Moines on Pennsylvania Avenue, across from Iowa Lutheran Hospital. The release describes the site as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. It says the location brings a full continuum of mental health services together and is intended to improve access and coordination of care.
Services brought into one setting
UnityPoint Health says the organization behind the building has provided outpatient, residential and community mental health services in central Iowa for more than 50 years. The release says placing the new building near the hospital is part of bringing those services into one setting. It characterizes the project as an effort to make services more accessible and to coordinate care across the local system.
Behavioral health access center
According to UnityPoint Health, the building includes a behavioral health access center that previously operated as a behavioral health urgent care clinic. The release says the center is a centralized entry point for people at any stage of a mental health journey, including those in crisis, people seeking an urgent or timely appointment, and people seeking help connecting with community resources. It says the center supports service coordination.
The UnityPoint Health release says the access center builds on the previous urgent care operation’s commitment to same-day access. It also says the center is intended to improve coordination of services across its Des Moines system. The announcement does not provide details about eligibility, hours, referral requirements, insurance coverage, or which specific services may be available at a given time.
Project funding
UnityPoint Health says the $10.4 million project received support from the Polk County Board of Supervisors, the State of Iowa, Prairie Meadows and private donors. The release says its capital campaign has raised more than $1.2 million in private donations for the building and expanding mental health programs and services.
What this means for Iowa patients
For Iowans looking for treatment locally, this opening may add another point of entry for behavioral health services in Des Moines, according to UnityPoint Health. The directory lists 34 published clinics in Iowa and can help people identify local treatment options.
General information only, not medical advice.
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This report is educational and is not medical advice. Coverage, availability and eligibility can change; verify details with the named source or your care team.