Mental Health Care Reform Coming to Marion

Linn County officials are developing a joint mental health care agency with Jones and Benton counties.

This came after last year's mental health care reform passed in the Iowa Legislature.

The mental health care agencies are required by law to be operational by July 1, 2014, according to the Gazette.

The legislatures require counties to work together to form joint county agencies, so that smaller counties like Jones and Benton Counties will receive mental health services on par with larger counties.

But collaborations with other counties may follow. Linn County Supervisor Linda Langston told the Gazette that talks have begun with Johnson and Iowa Counties, also, but nothing is set in stone.