The Chair of the Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center (SWIMHC) said in a statement today (Tuesday), that the Board of Trustees which governs the Center, has no plans to close the facility. Chairperson Marie Rourick said SWIMHC is a vital service for the residents of Cass County and surrounding areas in southwest Iowa.  She said that “It is critical that this service remains available over the long term.  The SWIMHC board is currently exploring how to partner with a successful mental health organization that has the specialized expertise necessary to strengthen processes, stabilize finances, and secure the future of SWIMHC and its staff.”

Rourick said “While the hospital contracts with SWIMHC to provide staff, it is actually an independent, not-for-profit community health center governed by its own board of directors.  The Center has been operating in the red for many years and the hospital has been subsidizing large sums of money to cover those losses.  While that may have been sustainable years ago, the losses have been accelerating for a variety of reasons and the hospital is no longer able to absorb them.”

The SWIMHC board, she said, “Has reached out to almost every community mental health center in southwest Iowa.  They all reported being profitable, so we know this is possible, but we need some additional expertise and tools to help us provide care in a more cost-effective way. The hospital administration has been working closely with the SWIMHC board to explore the best options for SWIMHC and its staff.”  Because of the excellent reputation of SWIMHC, Rourick said there has been interest from a number of very strong mental health organizations with expertise and systems that will help make SWIMHC fiscally successful.  The board is currently reviewing proposals and expects to make a partnership decision by the end of October.

Again, she emphasized that “There is no plan to close SWIMHC and there is no question that SWIMHC provides excellent care.  Our goal is to ensure that outpatient mental health care continues to be available for our community.  We firmly believe that partnering with another strong mental health organization is the best way to achieve our goal.”