Iowa governor candidates lay out plans for mental health

A dozen candidates for governor gathered Tuesday night to lay out their plans for improved access, funding and treatment for mental health services across the state.

At a public panel hosted by The Des Moines Register, the candidates voiced near-universal criticism of Iowa's privatized Medicaid system, which has faced a tumultuous couple of months following the departure of one of the private companies hired to provide services.

The Register hosted the panel following an outpouring of support and concern after Mary and Larry Neubauer penned an emotional obituary for their son, Sergei, who committed suicide. They called on policymakers to better address the "crisis" of declining access to mental health treatment.

"{We} believe it is a crisis facing America, one that must be acknowledged, better understood and ultimately addressed for people to have the tools to heal," they wrote. "Iowa did not have adequate mental-health resources during Sergei's times of crisis and he spent several months out of state this year in residential treatment."

Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/05/iowa-governor-candidates-lay-out-plans-mental-health/924285001/