Parents or guardians wishing to change the preferred name or gender identity for their child, please contact your child’s counselor or social worker.

Student and Parent Local Outreach Programs

If you would like more information or additional options and support, please feel free to contact your School Counselor. Anyone can call 1-800-273-8255 to talk confidentially with a professional counselor, available at no charge 24 hours a day. Also available 24 hours a day is the Teen Line 1-800-443-8336.

Select from the menu of outreach services below to learn more.

Child Care and Parenting Resources

Parent Training and Information Center
(PTI) is a federally funded grant project from the U.S. Department of Education that focuses on the educational needs of children with disabilities in Iowa, particularly those who are under-served or may be inappropriately identified. In addition to technical assistance to families, PTI also provides training on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The goal is to help parents better understand the Individual Education Program (IEP) process and become better advocates for their children.

Child Support Recovery
This program helps people with answers to questions about child support and child support recovery.

Child Care Resource and Referral
Providing resources, education and advocacy, CCR&R helps meet your community’s need for affordable and accessible child care. CCR&R provides a wide variety of services for Parents, Child Care Providers, Employers, and Community Groups. We provide guidance by phone, in person, on the Internet and in other ways that are tailored to you rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.

Child Care Assistance
Child Care Assistance (CCA) is available to the children of income-eligible parents who are absent for a portion of the day due to employment or participation in academic or vocational training or PROMISE JOB activities. Assistance may also be available for a limited period of time to the children of a parent looking for employment or when the parent who normally cares for the child is unable to do so due to hospitalization, or outpatient treatment for physical or mental illness.

Educational Programs and Resources

Heartland Area Educational Agency 11
Heartland Area Education Agency works in partnership with public and accredited private schools to provide educational services, programs and resources for improving student achievement. Heartland AEA staff members serve preschool children, K-12 students, families, educators and sometimes entire communities.

Ankeny Extended Learning Program (AELP) Parents Organization
Supporting and advocating for the optimal education and the unique needs of gifted and talented students through collaboration between parents and educators in the Ankeny Community School District.

Grief Counseling Services

Hamilton’s Academy of Grief and Loss
Provides grief information and resources, grief recovery, and grief related education.

Health Care Resources

Hawk-I
Hawk-i is a program that provides health care coverage for Iowa children in families with limited incomes.

Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC)
WIC is a public health program that serves pregnant and postpartum women, and children under the age of 5. WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to other health-care agencies. Eligibility is based on income, Iowa residence, and a medical or dietary need. WIC is not a welfare program. Many working families participate. Participants receive checks for specific nutritious foods redeemable at over 700 grocery stores and pharmacies across Iowa.

Primary Health Care, Inc.
Primary Health, Inc. is a nonprofit community health care center dedicated to serving the medically insured, uninsured or underinsured with their health care needs. We strive to find and successfully treat medical conditions before they become serious enough to require hospitalization or emergency treatment. We also provide follow-up, continuity of care, pharmacy assistance, and supportive services to help patients in need. Through case management and social work advocacy, we work to assure that our clients have greater access to resources in the community.

Visiting Nurse Services
Visiting Nurse Services provides a variety of supportive services to meet the health and social service needs of our community. Some examples of the services provided include: Providing education to a pregnant woman on the importance of prenatal care; Arranging transportation for a parent and child to attend a well baby checkup; assisting families with the application process for Medicaid and hawk-i insurance; giving flu shots to healthcare workers as well as the elderly; and monitoring the blood sugar level of a senior adult who suffers from diabetes.

Housing and Homeless Resources

Iowa Homeless Youth Centers
IHYC offers a variety of programs and facilities that will teach homeless youth to live independently and become self-sufficient. The youth we serve are non-system involved, meaning that they are not placed or directly supported by a governmental payment agency. Ihyc is often a last resort for older runaway and homeless youth who have exhausted community resources, family and friends.

Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority
Here you will find the information you need to apply for rental assistance for yourself, your family, or to help a friend or relative in their search for housing. CIRHA offers several programs to help meet your housing needs.

Home, Inc.
HOME, Inc. believes that everyone willing and able to accept the responsibilities of home ownership should be able to purchase a home. Our Home ownership Opportunities Service can make it happen. HOME, Inc. combines home ownership counseling and supportive services with property development and financing to assist low-income people in becoming homeowners through our Home ownership Opportunities Service (HOS).

Family Violence CenterThe Family Violence Center provides emergency safe shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children. Clients who are in immediate danger and who have on-going safety concerns are provided emergency shelter. Individual and group counseling, including children’s groups, are available for residents. Clients are referred to community resources such as legal aid, law enforcement, housing, job, development and social services. Court advocacy is also available for shelter residents. The shelter is staffed 24-hours a day by Certified Domestic Abuse Advocates.

Mental Health Resources

Cyberbullying Resources
With this recent crisis disrupting school schedules and learning routines, kids now have longer idle times that are spent on social media and other online platforms. This exposes them to harassment and other forms of online threats that could have devastating and even tragic effect on them. Cyberbullying presents a special challenge as parents and teachers feel they may lack the technological knowledge to keep kids safe. This guide could go a long way in safeguarding the emotional and psychological health of children under our care.

Lifeworks
LifeWorks has been providing school-based therapy services in the Ankeny School District for over five years. Each Ankeny school building has access to a licensed mental health therapist to provide counseling at the building during the school day, allowing for more time to be spent in the classroom rather than traveling to appointments. Parents can directly refer students to LifeWorks or work with a school counselor to make a referral.

Mercy Behavioral Health
Mercy Behavioral Health provides inpatient and outpatient treatment options for children and adolescents. Our skilled staff will work with you to determine the most effective treatment option.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

Orchard Place
Orchard Place is a private, not-for-profit agency located in Des Moines that provides mental health and juvenile justice services to more than 5,000 children ages 0-22 each year. Their mission is to heal children’s hearts and minds in effort to help them develop strong, promising futures.

Student Assistance Program / EFR
The Student Assistance Program of Employee and Family Resources offers students, parents and school personnel assistance to help them work through a wide range of concerns such as alcohol and other drug use, family or relationship problems, emotional or behavioral problems, court-related incidents or truancy, other problems that interfere with daily living.

Services at no cost? If your school contracts with Employee & Family Resources to provide SAP services, your sessions with SAP counselors to assess problems are provided at no cost to you. They are paid for by your school district and other funds. When additional services are needed, our staff works closely with everyone involved to ensure referrals are appropriate, beneficial and cost effective. Phone: 515-244-6090.

YESS
YESS provides a safety net of programs designed to help kids when they need it most, including emergency shelter, crisis nursery care, mental health counseling, and care coordination. As Iowa’s largest provider of emergency services for youth, the agency connects more than 2,000 children per year with healing and hope.

YESS is home to Iowa’s largest and most comprehensive emergency shelter for kids, which provides a safe haven and wraparound support to more than 800 children (newborn through age 17) per year. In addition, the agency cares for hundreds of children in the community to keep them safe and healthy in their own homes. YESS is a nationally-accredited nonprofit organization that uniquely serves the community’s most vulnerable children and creates an environment where families can thrive. Phone: 515-282-YESS (515-282-9377)

Substance Abuse

Cornerstone Recovery
Children and Families of Iowa- A variety of family-centered social service programs including Cornerstone Recovery (treatment center for chemically involved youth), Family Violence Shelter, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, Foster Care, plus many more.

Mercy First Step
Mercy First Step Recovery Center is an outpatient chemical and addiction program that offers an array of treatment options for those suffering from alcohol and substance abuse. Services offered are the least restrictive and most appropriate care to individuals and families.

UnityPoint Adolescent Dual Diagnosis Unit
UnityPoint serves the substance abuse and mental health needs of adolescents.

United Way Services

United Way of Central Iowa
Iowa’s informational and referral database for health and human services. To access information and resources and support services for your area. (515) 965-1976.