Please check back often as resources are added.
Where can I go for mental health support?
Mental health is important to your well-being, particularly in youth who may be experiencing additional challenges. It is important to recognize when to turn for help. Below are some resources for referrals and services.
- Call 2-1-1 for crisis help or service referrals
- Your Life Iowa Call 1-855-581-8111 or text 1-855-895-8398
- MakeItOK.org/Iowa - Resources and referrals
- National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)/Iowa
- Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 (Spanish 1-888-628-9454)
How do I prepare to go to college?
The Iowa College Aid Commission has a variety of resources to prepare students and their families academically, financially, and inspirationally to enroll and succeed in college. The Iowa College Aid Commission partners with the Iowa Department of Education and other state agencies, local and postsecondary schools, and other organizations to administer the GEAR UP Iowa program. The GEAR UP Iowa program's goal is to increase the number of minority and low-income students in GEAR UP partner schools who graduate from high school and prepare them to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Visit the Iowa College Aid Commission's website for scholarships, grants, financial aid, and other information.
What options are available for youth who are preparing to exit the child welfare and juvenile justice systems?
The Iowa Department of Human Services has services and resources to help teens exist the foster care system and prepare them for adulthood. Visit DHS's website for information on programs, Medicaid for independent young adults, college resources, and other information.