Transition Link coordinator wants to find solution to continue former detainees mental health meds, serve homeless in community

Henry County Jail diversion program coordinators want to explore ways former detainees can continue being prescribed their mental health medication outside of jail, and explore ways they can assist the homeless in Henry County by creating a homelessness committee.

Audrey Menke, a Transition Link coordinator, said detainees struggle with getting appointments after they are released from jail to get a prescription medication from their health care providers, and there is often a week to several month's gap in treatment.

'A lot of times when our guys are in jail we get them back on their medications. When they're leaving jail, it's a game trying to get them into a provider as soon as possible,” Menke said during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 20.

While providers write prescriptions for patients in jail, Menke said they're not comfortable continuing that service for former detainees when they're released.

'The providers' theory behind it is ‘I'm not willing to risk my license for someone who is not my actual patient. I'm just seeing them for a short time inside the jail,'” Menke said.

Menke recently returned from a jail simulation in Council Bluffs where she experienced the challenges of being released from prison after two years. In the simulation, Menke had no forms of identification and only $30 to her name and a few items she could pawn.

The first 'week” of the simulation, Menke said she landed in jail because she was unable to make all of her appointments because she spent most of her time trying to get her ID.

'It was very eye-opening for what they actually go through,” Menke said.

Transportation, scheduled visits with their children and making appointments with health care providers to continue their medication are some of the challenges Menke said former inmates and detainees face when released.

On the way back from Council Bluffs, Menke and other jail diversion staff toured treatment programs like the Community and Family Resources in Ft. Bridges of Iowa in Polk County and Prairie View in Prairie City. Menke said after detainees are released from jail, she recommends them to a program, which is easier to do if she knows what the facilities are like.

'It's nice to be able to have those examples and paint them a picture,” Menke said.

Menke has also toured and directed people to homeless shelters in the area. Since 2017, Menke said 17 detainees were listed as homeless, but she knows there are a lot more people than that who gave some type of address even though they didn't live there.

There are only two homeless shelters in the region: one in Ft. Madison and one in Burlington, Menke said, although she's never had any success in getting anyone in at Burlington.

Sarah Berndt, coordinator of disability services said that the problem in southeastern Iowa is that there are a lot of people who are homeless, but they're not out on the streets, so it's not as obvious.

'It's not as much identified as a need to put money toward,” Berndt said.

Menke, however, is hopeful that Henry County could get some type of homeless shelter in the area, starting with a homelessness committee in Henry County to identify needs and gather interest.

'I'm really hopeful we could get something like that here in Henry County, or at least within the region,” Menke said.