Spencer, IA (northwestiowanow.com) — Changes to the state’s mental health system are coming in 2025. According to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS), they have chosen Iowa Primary Care Association to act as a statewide Administrative Serve Organization for the redesigned Behavioral Health System.

The changes will affect how many local agencies handle mental health, including the Clay County Sheriff’s Department. Northwest Iowa Now spoke with Clay County Sheriff Chris Raveling about how this could affect how his department.

Now those same services will be handled at the state level. Sheriff Raveling says a lot of questions still remain.

Raveling says his deputies also handle taking inmates to the hospital for emergencies and transporting them to hospitals around the state if care cannot be found closer to Clay County.