Community and In-Home Services

Meeting you where you are.

Our community-based services come to you. We can provide individual and family services in the home, office, or school settings and create a customized treatment plan for each youth we serve. We help families handle difficult behaviors and emotions by teaching children the skills needed to manage their mental health.

Skill Building

Our community-based services focus on teaching skills that help youth and their families manage their mental wellness from day to day.

Community-Based Services

Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS)

Parents want to do anything they can to help their children—but no one can do everything on their own.

Tanager’s Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS) provide personalized professional help to children who are struggling with their mental health. We work closely with you to develop a plan for treatment focusing on target skill development areas, which include emotional regulation, problem solving skills, communication skills, family relationships, parent/child connections, and behavior management.

We help more than 400 families each year manage their children’s mental health symptoms and learn new or different ways to handle difficult behaviors and emotions.

Eligibility:
Medicaid-eligible children ages 4-20 can receive BHIS services. Children must have a mental health or psychiatric diagnosis, or families must be willing to set up a Mental Health Assessment to determine if their child has a diagnosis. Children living with a relative or in a foster home are also eligible for this program.

For BHIS referrals, please complete our online BHIS Referral Form or contact us at BHISreferral@tanagerplace.org or 319-286-4531.

Family Peer Support Services (FPS)

You don’t have to navigate your child’s behavioral health journey alone. Family Peer Support services include non-clinical, peer-delivered counseling, advocacy, coordination, and skill-building support for caregivers. Through shared lived experience, Family Peer Support Specialists provide emotional support and practical guidance to help families navigate complex systems and build long-term stability.

Services may include coaching on coping and self-advocacy, attending meetings or appointments at the family’s request, connecting families to community and behavioral health resources, and developing routines that strengthen daily functioning, confidence, and overall family well-being.

Family Peer Support Specialists support children and families by:

Providing emotional support, guidance, and coaching for caregivers using shared lived experience
Helping caregivers build coping strategies, self-advocacy skills, and confidence
Supporting caregivers in understanding and responding to their child’s behavioral health needs
Assisting families with advocacy by preparing for and attending meetings or appointments when requested
Coordinating services and connecting families to behavioral health, community, educational, and social supports

Eligibility:

Family Peer Support Services are available to Iowa Medicaid members enrolled with a Managed Care Organization (MCO) who have a qualifying mental or behavioral health diagnosis, such as Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) or Serious Mental Illness (SPMI). Although the child is the client receiving services, Family Peer Support is designed to work alongside caregivers, recognizing their central role in supporting the child’s progress and stability.

For referrals, please complete our online referral form or contact us as at 319-286-4543

Multisystemic Therapy (MST)

MST is an evidence-based program that empowers youth (aged 12 – 17) and their families to function responsibly over the long term. MST reduces delinquent and antisocial behavior by addressing the core causes of such conduct – and views the client as a network of systems including family, peers, school, and neighborhood. Therapists have small caseloads and provide services in the home at times convenient to the family. The average length of treatment is between 3 and 5 months, and therapists and provider agencies are held accountable for achieving change and positive outcomes.

Expressive Arts in the Community

Expressive arts is incorporated into daycare and community based settings through partnerships and collaborations with several community organizations, in order to connect children with expressive arts activities and interventions.

Now is the best time to start treatment.

If your child or teen is struggling with a mental, behavioral or emotional health issue, don’t wait to get help. Early intervention gives your child the best chance to reduce or eliminate the effects of these challenges.