Media Release – The Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center is awarded $45,000 from Prairie Meadows

For Immediate Release

For more information contact
Terri Speirs, Director of Community Relations
515 – 251-6670 or email tspeirs@mindspiritcenter.org

The Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center is awarded $45,000 from Prairie Meadows for technology updates and innovation

July 9, 2019, Des Moines, IA – The Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center (the Center) has been awarded a $45,000 Prairie Meadows Community Betterment grant. Funding will provide critical medical technology upgrades for the Center’s 30-clinician-strong practice to maintain HIPAA compliance and ensure data security. Funds will also launch a new initiative at the Center, integrating digital tablets to assess therapeutic metrics and increase client satisfaction. The project is expected to be completed in early 2020.

James E. Hayes, D. Min., M. Div., Executive Director, Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center

“Thank you to Prairie Meadows for this tremendous boost for our clients and counselors,” said Jim Hayes, the Center’s Executive Director. “Thousands of individuals in Central Iowa will benefit from this generosity.”

Every single person in Iowa is affected by mental health issues. Whether episodic depression, complex trauma or chronic anxiety – psychological concerns are serious and can be life threatening. The needs impact families, businesses, schools and our entire community. However Iowa ranks among the lowest in the nation for providing adequate access to mental health services.

People from all walks of life choose the Center to help manage their mental health needs, although the Center is one of the few metro providers serving individuals who are uninsured or underinsured. As a nonprofit organization, 100 percent of the Center’s board and staff donate resources to support the Center’s mission.

Hayes continued: “The needs in Iowa are great and yet there is hope. I am so proud of the excellence that our clinicians bring on a daily basis. Our long-standing partnership with Prairie Meadows further strengthens our ability to serve the community with innovation and integrity.”

“At Prairie Meadows, we are dedicated to transforming the lives of those living in Central Iowa. We are proud and excited to support this and many other projects in our community,” said Julie Stewart, Prairie Meadows’ Director of Community Relations.

To date, Prairie Meadows has given $1.8 billion to the state of Iowa, with more than $803 million remaining right here in Polk County.

Founded in 1972, the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center is a nonprofit organization with a mission to bring understanding, hope and healing to people of all ages through counseling and education. The Center serves more than 2,600 individuals annually through holistic counseling and other clinical services (including nearly 700 children and adolescents). Additionally, the Center serves more than 2,400 individuals through education and training services. #