IOWA CITY

Since opening its doors in February 2021, Johnson County’s GuideLink Center has admitted nearly 4,000 for crisis services and substance abuse treatment.

But how does it get paid for?

An increasing number of patients has led to increasing financial costs, and as the county begins to consider budget requests for Fiscal Year 2025, more questions are surfacing.

“This situation is very, very critical in terms of funding,” said Lisa Green-Douglas, a Johnson County Supervisor who has been an advocate of GuideLink’s services. “We wish that we could get funding from the state … that would keep this service.”

In a GuideLink update during the Nov. 29 Board of Supervisors work session, a data report showed that in addition to patients coming from Johnson and Linn Counties, they are also coming from Washington, Iowa, Muscatine and Louisa counties, among other locations.

Operating expenses are over $760,000 for the first three months of the current fiscal year, some of which is covered by Johnson County and some by insurance reimbursements and other payments.

GuideLink, which is located on Southgate Avenue in Iowa City, is open 24 hours.

“We are looking at all of the extreme ways of finding cost savings, hoping that we could actually avoid eliminating the services,” Green-Douglass said.

Field to Family

Lone Tree Community Schools are among 36 Iowa school districts that are participating in Field to Family, an Iowa City-based nonprofit program that features local food being grown and distributed to local schools and groups.

Michelle Kenyon, Executive Director, was among those giving an update on the program to the Board at the Nov. 29 work session.

Nearly $400,000 in food purchases have been made with 79 food producers. Program officials expect school food purchases to hit $300,000 by February 2024.

Nonprofit Grants

A Johnson County grants program targeted for nonprofit organizations and funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money drew $9.7 million in requests.

The budget was $2.1 million.

A $900,000 grant for Better Together was among the recommendations presented to the Board by Allison Wells, Johnson County Grants Manager. The Better Together grant was made on behalf of Table to Table and the Family Resource Center Collaborative, and originally had a $1.7 million request.

The other recommendations: Domestic Violence Intervention Program, $615,000; Iowa City Free Medical Clinic, $300,000; Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity, $150,000; Englert Civic Theatre, $50,000; Iowa City Community Theatre, $43,000; Good Shepherd Center, $35,000; and Summer of the Arts, $7,000.

Supervisors Rod Sullivan and Jon Green were among those in agreement.

Board Action

The Board approved the Weed Commissioner’s annual report and the certification for 2024.

The Board approved a contract amendment for an ARPA Direct Assistance Program impact evaluation project being coordinated by the University of Iowa.

The Board approved an amendment to the Middle Iowa Watershed Management Authority’s application to the Iowa DNR Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning Grant, clearing the way for $41,000 in ARPA funds to be added to a previously agreed $50,000 in matching funds.