Seasons Center for Behavior Health has received nearly $120,000 in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Health Information Technology and Infrastructure Grant. The funding will be used to enhance, improve, and expand the delivery of home and community-based services (HCBS) for Iowa Medicaid members. Seasons plans to upgrade its telecommunications equipment and agency infrastructure and improve its capacity to serve clients outside the traditional office setting. The funding will also be used to purchase new telephones, computers, tablets, additional servers, an Electronic Health Record Lab interface, and an agency vehicle. The new car will allow staff to transport groups of individuals for respite and group therapy, increasing the number of group services and individuals served. Program Coordination and Compliance Vice President Christina Eggink-Postma says, “As more and more individuals receive services in a non-traditional way – home settings, community-based settings or via telehealth, up-to-date telecommunications technology is necessary to provide timely and thorough services. The funding provided by ARPA will provide Seasons with the technology needed to better facilitate ongoing communication for agency staff, to facilitate client referrals, ongoing coordination of client care, mobile telehealth services, employee engagement and retention, and general business operations.” Since 1959, Seasons Center has provided mental health services throughout northwest Iowa, including locations in Buena Vista and Carroll Counties.
