Officials with CASS Incorporated in Atlantic have announced CASS, Inc. intends to merge with Crossroads of Western Iowa, effective September 1st, 2017.  Crossroads, like CASS, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing support services to individuals with disabilities.  They have a similar history and align closely to CASS Incorporated’s mission, vision, values and culture.

Both organizations provide a variety of services including community based employment and residential services that help people live lives of meaning and value.  Community based support services are much more cost effective for the taxpayer than more restrictive levels of care.  Even more importantly is that these services help people live as independently as they can, getting and maintaining jobs, living in their own homes and fully participating within their communities.

Crossroads of Western Iowa was founded in 1975 as Monona Services and based in Onawa, Iowa and later in Missouri Valley. Their administrative offices have  recently moved to Council Bluffs.  Today they serve about 370 people and employ 310 staff.  Over the years Crossroads expanded their services across the western side of Iowa.  Today they are in Sioux City, Cherokee, Onawa, Missouri Valley, Council Bluffs and now, soon to be Atlantic.

Glenda Farrier, CEO of CASS Incorporated for the past 28 years says “We have been working on compliance with the federal Medicaid Settings Rule, moving people out of segregated services in buildings into community based services.  We have sold our main building and continue to work on downsizing.  Throughout this we have been adamant that CASS is not closing and we’re not.  But we are merging with another organization and that was a tough decision for CASS.  We are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year and that’s a long time to provide a valuable service to our community.  We didn’t want to lose our identity.  But, since Iowa has implemented managed care organizations to oversee its Medicaid program, and we are now funded almost exclusively by Medicaid, it has become clear that we are not big enough to survive in this new world.  Our Board and leadership staff have done their due diligence in preparation for this decision.  Like CASS Incorporated, Crossroads is a well respected provider in our state and they accomplish positive outcomes for the people they serve, so it will be a good fit.  Ultimately, we wanted to assure that great services would continue in Cass County and it really didn’t matter whose name was on the door.”

CASS joins Crossroads as a financially healthy organization, an Iowa Top Workplaces employer for the past seven years and a well known provider of outstanding services for the people we serve.  By partnering with Crossroads, we will be able to expand our combined services over a larger geographic area and assure our work will continue in the managed care arena.  We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for the people of Cass County and are really looking forward to being a part of the Crossroads team as we continue to provide top quality services across western Iowa.