Disaster Assistance Programs

The Iowa Individual Disaster Assistance Grant Program (IIAGP)

IIAGP offers grants to families whose household’s annual income is at 200% or less of the federal poverty level. Each qualifying household MAY receive up to $5,000.00. The IIAGP is activated when the Governor issues a disaster proclamation turning on IIAGP for the affected counties. Please note - if a presidential disaster declaration for Individual Assistance is issued for a county for the same event, the state program is automatically canceled for that county, as the federal program then goes into effect. The federal program does not have an income restriction.

The application may be downloaded by clicking on Iowa Disaster Assistance Application [1] (Español [2]) [2]. Applications can be turned in to a local Community Action Agency, go to www.iowacommunityaction.org [3] to find your local agency. For the Iowa Individual Disaster Assistance Grant program information call toll-free 1-877-347-5678.

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation June 16, 2022 for Cerro Gordo, Greene, Hardin, Mills and Pottawattamie counties in response to severe weather beginning June 16, 2022. The deadline to apply is July 29, 2022.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation June 7, 2022 for Union County in response to severe weather beginning June 7, 2022. The deadline to apply is July 25, 2022.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation May 31, 2022 for Boone, Des Moines, Hamilton, Ida, Lyon and Webster counties in response to severe weather beginning May 31, 2022. The deadline to apply is July 15, 2022.

Iowa Disaster Case Management

Disaster Case Management is a time limited resource and process that involves a partnership between a disaster case manager and a household impacted by a disaster to develop and carry out a Disaster Recovery Plan. This partnership provides the client with a single point of contact to facilitate access to a broad range of resources, promoting sustainable assistance for individual’s and a household’s recovery. These services are client focused, and provided in a manner consistent with standards for trauma-informed practice in human services.

Contact your local Community Action Agency at www.iowacommunityaction.org [3] to find your local agency.

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation June 16, 2022 for Cerro Gordo, Greene, Hardin, Mills and Pottawattamie counties in response to severe weather beginning June 16, 2022. The deadline to apply is December 12, 2022.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation June 7, 2022 for Union County in response to severe weather beginning June 7, 2022. The deadline to apply is December 7, 2022.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation May 31, 2022 for Boone, Des Moines, Hamilton, Ida, Lyon and Webster counties in response to severe weather beginning May 31, 2022. The deadline to apply is November 28, 2022.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation April 13, 2022 for Cerro Gordo, Hancock, Humboldt, Mitchell, Pocahontas, Winneshiek and Worth counties in response to severe weather beginning April 12, 2022. The deadline to apply is October 10, 2022.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation March 7, 2022 for Adair, Benton, Decatur, Jasper, Lucas, Polk, Madison, Tama, Warren, and Wayne counties in response to severe weather beginning March 5, 2022. The deadline to apply is September 5, 2022.

Behavioral Health

Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team

The Iowa Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team (DBHRT) is a trained team of volunteers who will respond to the mental health needs of Iowa residents following disasters and critical incidents. The team provides services for community providers based on local area needs and may be delivered at a disaster site in an affected community or statewide. Services may include:

Conduct behavioral health needs assessment following a disaster
Provide Psychological First Aid
Provide brief crisis counseling and intervention
Provide community outreach
Provide public information and education
Provide critical incident stress debriefing
Provide behavioral health consultation for providers, communities and individuals
Provide screening and referral for those affected by a disaster or critical event

Local authorities may request DBHRT assistance in order to meet the behavioral health needs of communities in crisis by contacting the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Duty Officer. The duty officer is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 515-725-3231. For more information go to www.iowadbhrt.org [4].

Your Life Iowa

If you or a loved one are facing a problem with alcohol, drugs, gambling, mental health or suicidal thoughts, you’re not alone. That is why the Iowa Department of Public Health has created YourLifeIowa.org so Iowans can chat live, text, or call and get reliable information and treatment options, and find nearby help.

Due to a storm system that swept across Iowa on Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, causing significant damage and power outages, you may have trouble connecting your call with Your Life Iowa (855-581-8111) or 1-800-BETS OFF. The online chat and text options are still available, and may be more reliable until all services can be restored. (Text to 1-855-895-8398 and click here to chat [5]).

If there is an immediate crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or click here to access the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline chat [6]. The National LIfeline will make sure you are able to get in contact with someone who can help.

Abbe Center Iowa Warm Line (Eastern Iowa)

The Iowa Warm Line is a peer-run, telephone based, non-crisis and confidential listening line for anyone struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues. The Warm Line is staffed by individuals who have been through a similar journey and are in recovery themselves.

The phone number to call is 1-844-775-9276 [7]. Calls are answered seven days a week from 5 - 10 p.m.

COVID-19 DHS Resources [8]

COVID-19 and Your Mental Health [9]

For 24/7 disaster crisis counseling, call Iowa Concern Hotline at 800-447-1985.

Additional information and resources on Mental Health assistance following disasters visit Mental Health Disaster page [10].

Ukrainian Disaster Distress Helpline

If you are in need extra assistance to cope with unfolding events and uncertainties in the Ukraine, the Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the nation’s only hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to anyone in the U.S. and its territories.

Ukrainian Disaster Distress Helpline One-Page Summary [11] (Ukrainian) [12] (Russian) [13]

Via third-party interpretation services, the DDH (1-800-985-5990) can connect callers to crisis counselors in over 100 languages, including in Ukrainian. When calling the hotline, simply indicate what language you prefer, and the counselor will proceed to connect with an interpreter while you both stay on the line.

Callers are connected with trained and caring counselors from a network of crisis centers across the country. Helpline staff provide supportive counseling, including information on common stress reactions and healthy coping, as well as referrals to local disaster-related resources for follow-up care and support.

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