Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mental Health Access Center topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Linn County approves marketing contract and trauma-informed yoga for mental health access center
Summary
The Linn County Board of Supervisors approved a contract with De Novo Marketing to create outreach content for the county—s Mental Health Access Center and a separate contract with instructor Sarah Driscoll to provide trauma-informed yoga twice a month, funded by a local donation.
Linn County supervisors on Jan. 8 approved two contracts to expand services and outreach for the Linn County Mental Health Access Center: a content-creation contract with De Novo Marketing and a one-year contract for twice-monthly trauma-informed yoga sessions with instructor Sarah Driscoll.
The De Novo contract will produce new and updated marketing content about the access center—s services, including information about a forthcoming withdrawal management program and outreach targeted to five counties newly served as part of a regional behavioral health realignment, county staff said. Erin (presenter, Linn County staff) told supervisors the work follows an RFP and that De Novo was selected for its experience in both rural and urban Iowa communities and in mental health and substance-use communications.
"The De Novo contract that you will approve today is the content creation of it," Erin said, summarizing the firm—s role in drafting messages the county will adapt for local advertising and community conversations.
County staff said the De Novo work will be funded by state behavioral health dollars already allocated to the county by the East Central Region (ECR). Mae Hinchen (CEO, East Central Region) approved a shift of previously allocated ECR funds from program staffing lines to marketing after staff identified underspending in those lines. Supervisors were told that the reallocation will not affect two still-open staff positions for partner providers.
Separately, supervisors approved a contract with Sarah Driscoll, a local yoga instructor who will deliver trauma-informed yoga, mindfulness and breathing sessions twice a month at the access center from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025. County staff said the sessions are funded by a donation/grant from Hope Walk, a local nonprofit with a suicide-prevention focus, and not by county tax dollars.
A supervisor offered a personal account of a family helped by the access center: "This saved their life," the supervisor said, praising the center—s role in stabilizing an individual and supporting their family.
Both motions carried unanimously.
Funding and implementation details provided at the meeting indicate De Novo will deliver content only; county staff and an advisory subcommittee will decide which tactics (billboards, in-person outreach at convenience stores, partnerships with law enforcement, etc.) to use in each county. The access center will work with the advisory subcommittee and new community contractors to tailor messaging by county.
The De Novo contract value was not specified during the public discussion. The yoga contract covers services for the full year and is paid from the Hope Walk donation.
Supervisors said the De Novo content aims to address outdated materials last produced in 2021 and to support outreach ahead of the withdrawal management program—s launch. The county emphasized that the De Novo role is content creation; decisions about specific ad placements and outreach channels will be made by the county and its advisory group.
