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Polk County Launches Breakthrough Web Site

Nov 16, 2005
Polk County Health Services

DES MOINES, Iowa – Polk County launched its Network of Care for Mental Health and Disability Services Web site today, making it the first county in Iowa to provide a single place for consumers, families, caregivers and case managers to access information about community services and resources for people with disabilities, track national and state legislation, and search an extensive library.

Network of Care for Mental Health and Disability Services, www.networkofcare.org, is a response to feedback from Polk County citizens who find it difficult to access information on mental health services. It provides critical information, communication and advocacy tools including:

• Local service directory;
• Easy-to-search library with 30,000 articles relating to mental illness;
• Bill-tracking system to follow state and federal legislation;
• Links to government programs;
• Information on local health coverage;
• Links to supportive organizations; and
• Private and secure folders to store information on individual consumers’ health care and support services.

“This new Web site gives individuals an incredible opportunity to access a large range of resources targeted specifically to Polk County,” says county supervisor Angela Connolly. “This Web site also is an important step not only for Polk County, but for the entire state of Iowa and nearly 450,000 persons with disabilities.”

Individuals can share ideas, challenges and announcements through the message board and community calendar. Providers have the opportunity to build their own free Web site.

Trilogy Integrated Resources, LLC, based in California is responsible for building, maintaining and updating the Web site. It launched the first Network of Care in California and it has expanded to dozens of counties across the United States. For other counties, Trilogy has developed Web sites which focus on seniors, behavioral health, children at risk, domestic abuse and/or substance abuse.

The Web site is an initiative of Polk County Health Services, a private, non-profit agency that oversees the county’s services for persons with mental retardation, mental illness, or developmental disabilities.