Wellness is an important priority for the State of Iowa and Central Iowa leaders alike. With Capital Crossroads 2.0, we’ll devote much of our energy to addressing mental health and will continue to focus on strategies to enhance community well-being as a whole in the Greater Des Moines area.
Mental Health: Mind Matters, a new traveling exhibit at the Science Center of Iowa presented by HealthPartners UnityPoint Health, will use hands-on interactives and immersive multimedia experiences to help visitors explore mental illness and its prevalence in society. The exhibit will build awareness and understanding by giving visitors the opportunity to see how mental illness has been treated in the past and to better understand what it’s like to live with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Wellness studies and surveys are an important aspect of Wellness Capital’s continuing focus on enhancing community well-being.
Studies we’ve done in the past:
In this phase, Wellness Capital will seek to understand more about how Central Iowa employers are incorporating mental and social health components into their wellness programming.
Wellness Capital partners regularly reach out to residents and businesses to identify wellness needs, challenges, and opportunities, and this should continue into Capital Crossroads 2.0. Continuing to conduct surveys and assessments will give us solid records of health outcomes and trends.
Participate in regular community health assessments and tracking
Partner with businesses to assess and improve their workers’ social and emotional well-being
Data has shown that Central Iowa is one of the most philanthropic regions in the country, and the State of Iowa has demonstrated a lasting commitment to improving the health of its residents. In addition to the usual collection of local, state, and federally funded programs, Central Iowa has leveraged philanthropic and grant monies to develop and implement a more comprehensive array of wellness programming than most regions its size.
As an example, the United Way of Central Iowa – the highest per capita funded United Way in the country – has identified health as one of its three principal focus areas and integrates multiple initiatives under its funding umbrella. As the Wellness Capital continues to identify the benefits of holistic wellness programs, we’ll be able to better advocate for awareness and promote new and enhanced programs including mental health.
Though there are currently programs and services offered to improve the mental and emotional well-being of Central Iowa children and adults, healthcare leaders feel that the conversation needs to be changed. Leaders are working to identify the best ways to increase funding, use local expertise, and identify regulatory changes that will improve mental health care.
Convene partners to inform coordinated mental health programming
Multiple providers and programs support the improvement of Central Iowans’ wellness outcomes. In addition to county public health departments, local and regional nonprofit service providers and funding organizations either directly implement programs or support them through resource provision or coordination.
The Wellness Capital will help inform dialogues on wellness programming and outcomes to partners, providers, and the public on the potential for more holistic community wellness strategies.
Advocate for holistic Central Iowa wellness programs
