1 800 447 1985 History of Iowa Concern

1 -800 -447 -1985

History of Iowa Concern (Rural Concern) Hotline • 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. Services Iowa Concern Provides: 1. Information and Referral 2. Legal Education 3. Stress Counseling

Iowa Concern Projects 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 • H 1 N 1 Calls • 2009 Substance abuse Disaster Media Campaign • Protect Iowa Health • DHS Compromised Records (multiple times)

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 Ø Healthy Families Ø Teen Line Ø Bets Off Ø 211 Ø Targeted Case Manager After Hours

211/Hotline Staff • All staff have 4 -year college degrees o Human Services o Family & Marriage Counseling o 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.

Helping Iowans Become Their Best • Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Connecting to All Iowa Residents through Iowa Concern, 211 and other Hotlines 24/7

Margaret Van. Ginkel, Hotline Coordinator ISU Extension Outreach 10861 Douglas Avenue, Suite B Urbandale, IA 50322 (515)727 -0656 vangin@iastate. edu www. extension. iastate. edu/iowaconcern