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Community Services

Jones County Community Services is a county department that assists residents with social service needs. We can help with accessing appropriate resources and services. We direct individuals to programs to help them with daily living and health challenges. We provide education, crisis intervention, service coordination, and resource and referral. The Community Services department provides social services to residents with and without disabilities including substance concerns. We strive to strengthen the community and ensure quality of life for Jones County residents. If you need assistance to connect with resources, we are an immediate access point to do so. Contact the office to reach one of our County or Region Social Workers.

Available Services

The Jones County Community Services department has the following services available to those who meet qualifications:

  • Social Service Resource and Referral  
  • Substance Abuse Administration connecting people to general services. 
  • General assistance: Rent and Utility funding
  • Representative Payee Service
  • Mental Health and Disability Services
  • Local Access Point to find available services for better quality of life

Return General Assistance applications to Cindy Behrends at  cindy.behrends@jonescountyiowa.gov 

Mental Health/Disability Services of the East Central Region

The Mental Health/Disability Services of the East Central Region (ECR) is a partnership between 9 counties to provide comprehensive brain health and disability services to individuals in eastern Iowa. Iowans have a regional base of services that meet statewide standards to address their needs. Counties pool their resources and offer an array of services to improve the health of Iowans.

In accordance with the principles enumerated in the legislative redesign, the ECR will work in a quality improvement partnership with stakeholders in the region (providers, families, individuals, and partner health and human service systems) to develop a system of care approach that is characterized by the following principles and values:

  • Welcoming and individual-oriented
  • Person and family-driven
  • Recovery/resiliency oriented
  • Trauma-informed
  • Culturally competent
  • Multi-occurring capable

ECR Website

Your Life Iowa

The East Central Region now uses Your Life Iowa as the statewide crisis line, making free crisis calls and text available to anyone in Iowa. 

The Iowa Help Line phone number now rolls over to Your Life Iowa. The service remains the same, but with a different number. 

Your Life Iowa provides free information and referral, counseling, crisis service coordination, and linkages to crisis screening and mental health services 24 hours a day.

CALL (855) 581-8111 or TEXT (855) 895-8398

Additional Numbers for Help

  • Your Life Iowa 855-581-8111
  • Iowa Warm Line (844) 775-9276
  • COVID Recovery Iowa (800) 447-1985
  • Mobile Crisis Outreach (855) 325-4396
  • Iowa Concern Hotline (800) 447-1985

Phone & Fax
(319) 462-4457
(319) 462-5804 (Fax)

Hours
Community Services Assistance/Social Work
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (by appointment) M-F

General Assistance M, T, Th: 8am to 4pm. Wednesday: 8am to 1pm.
Holiday Closures

Location
Jones County Courthouse Annex/ Jones County Community Services Department
105 Broadway Pl.
Suite 2
Anamosa, IA 52205

Lucia Herman, LBSW Lucia Herman, LBSW
Community Services Director
Lucia.herman@jonescountyiowa.gov

Commnity Services Director

General Assistance Director
Substance Abuse Administrator
Payee Services Director

Coordinator of Mental Health/Disability Services of East Central Region/Jones County
Coordinator of Children’s Behavioral Health

Nancy Fahey, BA
Region Social Worker
Nfahey@ecriowa.us
Nielie Schaeffer
Children's Navigator
nielie.schaeffer@jonescountyiowa.gov
Haley Pease, BA
Region Social Worker
Hpease@ecriowa.us
Cindy Behrends
Office Coordinator/MHDS Assistant
cindy.behrends@jonescountyiowa.gov

General Assistance
Payee Services