1-800-447-1985

• Mandated by legislature in 1985 during the Farm Crisis

• Organized by various agencies• Toll free national number

1-800-447-1985• Name changed to Iowa Concern

during the floods of 1993 to serve all of Iowa and not just rural Iowa.

History of Iowa Concern (Rural Concern)

HotlineServices Iowa Concern

Provides:

1. Information and Referral

2. Legal Education

3. Stress Counseling

Disaster Projects•Tornadoes•Floods•Ice storms•Blizzards•Hay Hotline•Rebuild Iowa Calls – answered and filtered•DHS Crisis Counseling after disasters

Mental Health Projects•Ticket to Hope•Sowing the Seeds of Hope

Other•H1N1 Calls •2009 Substance abuse Disaster Media Campaign•Protect Iowa Health•DHS Compromised Records (multiple times)

Iowa Concern Projects

Current Hotline Specifics• Iowa Concern Hotline is written into the

State of Iowa Disaster Plan• Iowa Concern has received over 350,000

calls since 1985• 10 – 20 live chats per month• 12 – 20 emails per month• Currently 12% of calls are rural• Callers are from all over the nation/world• Calls answered 24/7• Bi-lingual staff and services available

Other hotlines answered by Iowa Concern Staff

Healthy FamiliesTeen LineBets Off211Targeted Case Manager After Hours

211/Hotline Staff• All staff have 4-year college degrees

o Human Serviceso Family & Marriage Counselingo Health Services, etc.

• Most staff are I&R AIRS certified (or in process)• All staff attend monthly training for updates.• Staff are cross-trained and updated as needed for

new projects and programs.

• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Helping Iowans Become Their Best

Connecting to All Iowa Residents

through Iowa Concern,211

and other Hotlines 24/7

Margaret VanGinkel, Hotline CoordinatorISU Extension Outreach

10861 Douglas Avenue, Suite BUrbandale, IA 50322

(515)727-0656 vangin@iastate.edu www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern