Behavioral Health

St. Luke’s Children’s Specialty Services provides several programs for children and teens to help them cope with mental, emotional and behavioral concerns they may be experiencing at home, school or in the community.

UnityPoint Clinic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry provides mental and behavioral health services for children and adolescents. Our highly trained child and adolescent psychiatry specialists conduct evaluations, manage medication and use individual and family services to treat several behavioral health issues, including ADHD, anger, anxiety and more.

Child and adolescent mental and behavioral health therapy and counseling services are also available at:

• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Anamosa
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Cedar Rapids  (Same-day, walk-in assessments available during certain hours)
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Hiawatha
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Independence
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Iowa City
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Manchester
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Vinton
• Associates for Behavioral Healthcare – Hiawatha

Individual, Family and Group Therapy

We provide services for adults, teens, children, couples and families who need assistance with depression, anxiety, trauma or other life stressors impacting mental health. We conduct a comprehensive assessment and develop individualized care plans, using a strengths-based approach to empower resiliency. Our outpatient therapy staff are licensed mental health counselors, clinical social workers, and licensed marriage and family therapists. All are trained in trauma-informed best practices including:

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – A therapy treatment designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories.
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) – Explores the relationships between behavior, thoughts and feelings.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – Encourages opening up unpleasant feelings, learning not to overreact to them, and learning effective ways to work through them.
• Couples Therapy – Helps gain insight, improve communication, resolve conflict and improve relationship satisfaction.
• Family Therapy – Helps heal family relationships, improve communication, and resolve conflicts.
• Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS) – Group therapy to help with mood regulation and interpersonal relationship skills.
• Get Grounded – Group therapy for women that teaches strategies to help with chronic stress and trauma. The group incorporates mindfulness, movement and practical coping skills.
• Seeking Safety – Group therapy to help with trauma and addiction recovery.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – Group therapy to help with emotional regulation, communication and interpersonal relationship skills.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy

TMS is a treatment option available at Associates for Behavioral Healthcare in Hiawatha, for major depressive disorder. TMS is a non-invasive, non-drug program for adult patients who have experienced unsatisfactory results or intolerable side effects following traditional medication and therapy. It features a small instrument placed directly on the head, which stimulates underactive segments of the brain with precisely targeted magnetic pulses. TMS treatment has been shown to increase activity in the area associated with improved mood. Most insurance companies approve TMS therapy following failure of four or more medication trials and, in some cases, an additional failure of psychotherapy.

Outpatient therapy and counseling are offered at:

• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Anamosa
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Cedar Rapids  (Same-day, walk-in assessments available during certain hours)
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Hiawatha
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Independence
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Iowa City
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Manchester
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Vinton
• Associates for Behavioral Healthcare – Hiawatha

Psychiatric Assessments and Medication Management are available at several UnityPoint Health-AbbeHealth Services outpatient locations. Our psychiatrists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants specialize in both the mental and physical aspects of behavioral health. They provide comprehensive evaluations, psychotherapy and can prescribe medication as part of a treatment plan.

Medical Support Personnel act as a bridge for psychiatric providers and clients between visits. They administer long‐acting injections, coordinate prior authorizations, take vitals and complete health questionnaires to report back to the client’s provider.

Psychiatric and medication management services are available at:

• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Anamosa
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Cedar Rapids
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Independence
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Iowa City
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Manchester
• Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Vinton
• Associates for Behavioral Healthcare – Hiawatha

St. Luke's Partial Hospitalization program provides day services for patients with emotional difficulties and/or mental illnesses. It's designed to help with the transition from the hospital to home, or to avoid hospitalization altogether. Individuals learn how to deal with problems by solving them together in groups, practicing their plan of action through role-playing, following through at home and returning the next day to share their success or make a new plan.

Programs include:

• Group therapy
• Goal setting group
• Coping skills group
• Assertiveness group
• Leisure education group
• Weekend planning and weekend groups

In addition, our visiting nurse program allows individuals with emotional problems and/or mental illness to live successfully within the community with the help of home and/or community-based visitation by qualified nursing staff. To make a referral to St. Luke's Partial Hospitalization, call (319) 369-8176.

Both St. Luke’s Chemical Dependency and Abbe Center for Community Health – Cedar Rapids offer addiction services.

St. Luke’s Chemical Dependency has provided treatment for individuals suffering from chemical dependency and its effects since 1992. Individuals will begin their care with a comprehensive evaluation to determine the extent of any addiction problem. Treatment ranges from intensive outpatient therapy and intervention training to detoxification and stabilization, as well as extended outpatient treatment. St. Luke’s Chemical Dependency team is also available for educational speaking opportunities.

Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Cedar Rapids offers assessments and counseling from certified alcohol drug counselors. In addition, trained peer coaches offer support based on their own experiences and utilize a recovery plan that focuses on developing natural supports and community inclusion. This location also offers Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) from psychiatry staff for individuals recovering from alcohol and opioid addiction.

• Community Support Services (CSS)
• First Episode Recovery Support Team (FERST)
• Life Skills focuses on providing structured daytime services to individuals with serious mental illness. The Life Skills program is offered at Abbe Center – Cedar Rapids and Abbe Center - Iowa City.
• Program For Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)
• Supported Community Living (SCL) 

Wellness and recovery services include clinical staff and peer support specialists who partner to provide recovery-oriented services. They include:

Peer-led Services:

• Club 520 and Together Not Alone are recovery and vocational support groups led by peer support specialists who have lived experiences with a mental health or addiction disorder. They offer a welcoming and nonjudgmental environment and help facilitate socialization, provide resources and utilize their own experiences to promote positive relationships with others. They also offer assistance for those looking for housing or employment. Club 520 is offered at Abbe Center – Cedar Rapids and Together Not Alone is offered at Abbe Center – Iowa City.
• Community-Based Peer Support Services are provided by peer support specialists in the home or community and promote recovery and community integration.
• Iowa Warm Line (1-877-755-9276) is a peer-run phone line that provides non-crisis and confidential listening for anyone struggling with mental health or addiction issues. The Warm Line is staffed by individuals who have been through a similar journey and are in recovery themselves.

Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation (IPR) is a curriculum-based service that allows individuals to identify and overcome barriers as well as understand the decision-making process. IPR is designed for individuals who desire to make a change in their life related to a living situation, work or education. IPR is offered at Abbe Center – Cedar Rapids and Abbe Center – Iowa City.

Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) services include community-based outreach and case management for people with serious mental illness who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. PATH is offered at Abbe Center – Cedar Rapids and Abbe Center – Iowa City.

This secure center provides treatment for children (ages 6-12) and adolescents (ages 13-18). Both programs are family-centered and designed to help children and adolescents who have serious behavioral problems, emotional disorders or adjustment difficulties. Our focus is to empower families, manage behavior and teach new skills.

This secure unit provides a highly structured and protective environment for adult patients suffering from acute emotional crisis and who require frequent monitoring and supportive attention.

This secure center creates a highly structured, protective environment for older adults who are experiencing either acute episodes of mental illness or dementia.