Mental Health/Disability Services of the East Central Region prepares to phase out

The Mental Health/Disability Services of the East Central Region (ECR) is set to dissolve by June 30, and leadership is focused on ensuring a smooth transition, CEO Mae Hingtgen told the Johnson County Board of Supervisors Wednesday. ECR is a partnership between the counties of Benton, Bremer, Buchanan, Delaware, Dubuque, Iowa, Johnson, Jones and Linn to provide comprehensive brain health and disability services to individuals within the region. House File 2673, passed last year, overhauls Iowa’s behavioral health and disability services system, shifting oversight from the state’s 13 mental health and disability service regions to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The restructuring creates a new behavioral health service system, dividing the state into seven districts to manage mental health and substance use disorder services. Iowa HHS has been hiring administrative services organizations to oversee each district. ECR had applied for the District 7 role but was not selected. “The state chose to go with a private, non-profit corporation that will do the behavioral health administrative services organization duties for the entire state of Iowa. So no regions were selected,” Ms. Hingtgen told the board. The region had also applied to be a disability access point, and a decision on that application is expected by Feb. 21. “Without the behavioral health administrative services organization designation, and even if we’re the disability access point with that very limited budget, we do need to transition away from being a region,” Ms. Hingtgen said.

Services, staff remain priority

Ms. Hingtgen outlined five priorities to the board for ECR’s transition away from its role as the essential region:

• Support a smooth handoff to the statewide behavioral health system
• Maintain service quality and integrity during the transition
• Provide clear communication throughout the process
• Support the well-being and job transitions of the 34 regional staff members who have lost their positions
• Manage the logistical and financial aspects of dissolving the region, which includes the transfer of assets

To support staff, the region is offering retention pay for those who stay through June 30, with increasing incentives each month. Additionally, employees have access to mental well-being coaching sessions. “We have 34 people who have given their heart and soul to the East Central Region, and we need to take care of them as they transition,” Ms. Hingtgen said. “So we have a priority around their occupational changes and their mental well being. We are a brain health organization. The first thing I did after we found out the news… I arranged with Abby Center for Community Mental Health for all of our staff to be eligible for five mental well-being coaching sessions.” “It’s a difficult balancing act you're trying to pull off, and I don't envy you,” Board Chair Jon Green said, thanking Ms. Hingtgen and her staff. “Johnson County will continue to be a good partner with you through the end of June.”