Social Services
Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services (DVHHS) Social Services - offers services in a number of areas.
Adult
- Adult Mental Health - Case Management and the Community Support Program (CSP) are offered in support of consumers needing assistance with serious and persistent mental illness.
- Individuals with Disabilities or Chronic Illness - DVHHS Human Services offer Case Management to those individuals with developmental disabilities as well as offering home and community based programs and services for those individuals with Brain Injury, and those under 65 years of age that are chronically ill or medically fragile.
- Senior Services - Home and community based programs and services are offered through this area to lower income Jackson and Cottonwood County individuals over the age of 65 that are at risk or require nursing home care.
- MNChoice Assessments - MnCHOICES is a single, comprehensive assessment and support planning web-based application for long-term services and supports in Minnesota. DVHHS Human Services staff are certified to administer the assessment.
- Senior Linkage Line - this is another provider dedicated to the support of Jackson and Cottonwood County elderly. Please click here for more information. Senior LinkAge Line is the Minnesota Board on Aging's free statewide information and assistance service. The Senior LinkAge Line service is provided by six Area Agencies on Aging that cover all 87 counties of Minnesota and helps connect you to local services
- Vulnerable Adult Investigation and Protection - this is a service that includes investigation, as well as prtective services and referrals to eligible programs.
Children
- Child Protection/Child Welfare Services - DVHHS is responsible for the safety, permanency and well-being of children throughout Cottonwood and Jackson Counties. When a report of child maltreatment, abuse and/or neglect is received, our department screens those reports to determine whether or not they meet the necessary criteria to be investigated. Click here for more information.
- Children's Mental Health Services - Children’s Mental Health Case Management is a service provided to assist families in: determining if any mental health problems exist, determining what types of treatment or services can help deal with these issues, arranging necessary services, making follow-up contact to ensure that needed treatment is being provided. Click here for more information.
- Home-Based Services - These services are provided to support and maintain children in the home, prevent placement of a child outside of the home, and/or so that a child can be returned home. Services can include: teaching parenting skills, working on communication problems between family members, and teaching home management skills such as setting up family schedules and chores.
- Parent Support Outreach Program (PSOP) - This program was designed to reduce or remove barriers to child safety, family and child well-being and initially implemented with screened out child protection reports on families who had children in the home under the age of 10. Service decisions are based on the needs assessment of the family and the family’s interest in specific services. Service options include case management, counseling and therapy referrals, education and activities that enhance parent/child interaction. Click here for more information.
- Family Group Decision Making - This service is a decision making process that allows for the family to develop a care and protection plan to ensure child safety or to plan for permanency and reunification if the child is in out of home placement. The Family Group Decision Making process includes preparation for the family meeting, facilitation of the family meeting, plan development and post meeting activities. This process is used most often in child protection cases.
- Respite Care - This service is short-term care provided to individuals due to the temporary absence or need for relief of those persons normally providing the care. Respite care may be provided during the day or overnight at an out-of-home setting. This service is provided at the discretion of the agency.
- Family Community Support Services - This program is designed to provide life skills and recreational interactions with identified youth in Cottonwood County. The children, of all ages, come from all communities and rural areas within Cottonwood County. There is a large group activity each month to include all the youth participating in this program. Some of those activities include tie dyeing t-shirts, going to the swimming pool, attending a school play, bowling, sporting events etc.
- Family Community Support Program (CSP) - This program is offered in Jackson County and is a service for children with severe emotional disturbances and their families. The primary mission of the program is to assist the children and their family in self - reliance through the teaching of independent living and coping skills. It is our aim that through this teaching the children and their family will become more skillful in dealing with life's problems, goals and demands.
- Individuals with Disabilities or Chronic Illness - DVHHS Human Services offer Case Management to those individuals with developmental disabilities as well as offering home and community based programs and services for those individuals with Brain Injury, and those under 65 years of age that are chronically ill or medically fragile.