What if I need help? How do I apply for services for myself, my child, or family member?
You would start by contacting our Referral Coordinator at 515-883-1776 ext. 252 or 1-844-883-1776. We will gather information for our application to help determine which program is appropriate within our agency and talk through the next steps for the referral process.
When do I apply my child for services? When can CSA start working with my child?
You may call us at any time to discuss whether or your child may be eligible for one of our services. We work with children on the Home and Community Based Intellectual Disability Waiver or the Home and Community Based Brain Injury Waiver starting around age 3. Our Integrated Health Program works with transition age youth starting at age 14.
If you have another agency or provider helping you to make a referral for your child to CSA, we can send a short application for that provider to complete.
For youth involved with Department of Human Services (DHS) or Juvenile Court Services (JCS) we like to start the referral process at six months prior to turning age 18.
Who does CSA serve?
We provide supportive services to children and adults who have intellectual disabilities, brain injuries, developmental disabilities, and mental health diagnoses or serious emotional disturbances. There is specific eligibility criteria for individuals we serve and services are voluntary.
We have different services for individuals with qualifying disabilities who may or may not have Medicaid.
Why do I need CSA services?
Our agency serves as an access point for services in Polk County Region. We access and authorize funding from different funding sources. In order to get direct supportive services for your child or family member’s independent living needs, you need to have a funder. We can serve as the funder for different services.
We may be able to provide additional information about other services, if our agency cannot meet your child’s needs. Our Integrated Health Program, starting at age 14 provides care coordination services to individuals residing in Polk, Warren, Story, Boone, Dallas, Madison and Jasper Counties.
What about guardianship/conservatorship?
Once an individual is age 18, they become their own legal guardian. They are able to make their own decisions about their life. A guardianship or conservatorship is a legal relationship between a competent adult and a person over the age of 18 who is unable to make decisions for himself or herself.
Your Community Support Advocates worker can provide you with assistance with accessing additional information/resources about guardianship or conservatorship.
Can you tell me more about CSA services?
Our Integrated Health Program (IHP) provides services starting at age 14. This is the program for youth and young adults who have Medicaid and mental health or serious emotional disturbance.
We provide Targeted Case Management (TCM) for children and adults receiving Home-and-Community Based Intellectual Disability (ID) Waiver Services or Home and Community Based Brain Injury (BI) Waiver Services, starting around age 3 through adulthood.
We provide Targeted Case Management to persons with Developmental Disabilities who have Medicaid and at least two areas of needed assistance.
Service Coordination (SC) provides services starting at age 18 & up for persons with qualifying disabilities who have longer term residential needs or needs in one area. The Integrated Health Care Coordinator, Targeted Case Manager, or Service Coordination will assess an individual’s needs, determine level of care/service needed, access services/authorize funding, monitor services and advocate for individuals with services they receive.
Our direct services programs are: Integrated Services Program (ISA) and Knowledge Empowers Youth (KEY) Program. Integrated Services Program is for ages 18 & up. (This should not be confused with our Integrated Health Program.) For our ISA Program, Polk County Health Services enrolls people eligible for this service.
If someone has our Service Coordination Program and the team feels that a person would be eligible for this, we could assist to make that referral to Polk County Health Services. The KEY Program works with youth from 17.5 to 25 years of age.
Both of these programs work with helping individuals with specific skills building and provide on-going support.
What specific help or services can I, my child, or family member receive from CSA?
We can help you access services through community resources, the region, or through Medicaid to help you become as independent as possible. We often help individuals receiving our services with applying for different assistance programs, Social Security, food assistance, medical assistance, supported community living, supported education, supported employment, payee, rent support, meals on wheels, transportation.
For each person we serve, services are individualized. An individualized goal plan is developed by that person’s team (the team usually consists of: the person served/consumer &, whomever they wish to be on their team, legal guardian/parent/family member, providers, and funders).