Utilizing Technology to Tackle Homelessness in Iowa
Central Iowa Shelter & Services, Iowa Total Care and the Centene Foundation mark the beginning of a new partnership in November 2023.
The Centene Foundation and Iowa Total Care are providing $2.55 million access to healthcare and social services through Central Iowa Shelter & Services (CISS). CISS aims to provide low-barrier shelter entry to the unhoused and to eliminate common obstacles that prevent those in need from seeking help. This collaborative effort will enhance and expand the shelter’s ability to reach Iowans where they are.
Based on natural disaster command centers, the CISS Housing Command Center will serve as a centralized emergency operation management system, driving coordination and streamlining the shelter’s ability to reach unhoused Iowans in rural and urban areas. Two Command Center satellite offices in rural communities outside Des Moines – Ottumwa and Grinnell – will filter requests and provide real-time care to those in need. In addition, CISS will launch a social determinants of health mobile app that creates a strategic framework that will prioritize the deployment of existing and new solutions to help the local community navigate and tackle the unique implications of housing insecurity in Iowa.