The Community Foundation of Johnson County hosted a Community Conversation on Mental Health at the Iowa City Public Library. The event brought together residents from across Johnson County for a crucial discussion about the current state of mental health resources in our community
CFJC Hosts Community Conversation on Mental Health
January 24, 2025
CFJC Hosts Community Conversation on Mental Health
On Jan. 23, the Community Foundation of Johnson County hosted a Community Conversation on Mental Health at the Iowa City Public Library. The event brought together residents from across Johnson County for a crucial discussion about the current state of mental health resources in our community. A panel of local mental health professionals facilitated the discussion and shared valuable insights into the resources available for mental health support.
The panel included experts from several organizations:
- Abbey Ferenzi — UnityPoint Health: GuideLink Center
- Alissa Doobay — University of Iowa: Scanlan Center for School Mental Health
- Amy Kahle — United Action for Youth
- Coreen Frank — Iowa City Community School District
- Drew Martel — CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank
- Laura Semprini — National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Johnson County
Laura Semprini (NAMI Johnson County) started the conversation with an informative presentation, providing a comprehensive overview of local mental health resources, ongoing initiatives, and opportunities for growth. One vital resource Semprini highlighted was the 988-crisis line.
“988 is the 911 equivalent for a mental health crisis. When people call this number, they’ll either get a local dispatch or be connected to some sort of referral to help de-escalate the crisis and get help immediately. There are still people who don’t know about it, and so I think it’s important to mention this to anyone because you never know who may be needing crisis support,” Semprini explained.
The event continued with a Q&A session, moderated by Alissa Doobay (Scanlan Center for School Mental Health). Panelists discussed various critical topics, including how to approach conversations around suicide with those at risk, combatting stigma around mental illness, and new approaches to supporting underserved populations.
“We were awarded a grant through the SMASA Gary Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Initiative to develop a program in Johnson County and a few surrounding counties that’s looking at BIPOC and LGBTQ youth transitioning into adulthood in terms of suicide prevention,” Drew Martel (CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank) shared. “This is an underserved population where suicide rates—especially with BIPOC youth—have been increasing over the last decade, and it’s raised several alarms at the national level…It’s in its beginning stages, but I’m very excited.”
The discussion also emphasized the importance of collaboration among community partners. “We are always looking for any way we can work with community partners and the hospital to find more ways to get access to people who really need that mental health and substance use support,” said Abbey Ferenzi (Guidelink Access Center).
The panelists’ insights and shared commitment to improving mental health care reinforced the importance of continued collaboration and community involvement in addressing mental health challenges.
Join us for our next Community Conversation on Immigrant and Refugee Support on April 22, 5-6:30 PM at the Coralville Public Library! To stay up to date, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and subscribe to our Community Connection newsletter.