View the presentation slides.

This session will provide an overview of Year 1’s accomplishments and opportunities for Iowa’s new Behavioral Health Service System highlighting the implementation of the BHSS State Plan, Year 1 District Profile + Plan, System Navigation, Year 1 District Assessment and Year 2 District Plans.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will:

1. Identify how Iowans can access safety net behavioral health services in Iowa;
2. Identify what system navigation is and how to connect to a system navigator;
3. Identify how the improvements made within Year 1 can support improving behavioral health services in Iowa.

Marissa Eyanson
Director of the Division of Behavioral Health for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Marissa Eyanson serves as the Director of the Division of Behavioral Health for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to stepping into her current role in March of 2020, she served as the policy director across the full spectrum of Iowa Medicaid’s programs. Throughout her career, Marissa has focused on leveraging systems and teams to achieve high quality outcomes through improvement in organizational structure, program management, and policy development. From her first job as a direct support professional to her work in Medicaid managed care, Marissa has focused on the intersections between behavioral health, system and network capacity, and improved outcomes. She brings a unique ability to pivot perspectives from provider to payer to regulator. Marissa is the architect of Iowa’s Behavioral Health Service System and ensured its’ successful installation by building strong partnerships, articulating clear vision, and aligning activity to purpose. Marissa is a life-long small-town Iowan and graduate of Iowa State University. She and her husband have two adult children and enjoy time spent with family, their pets, and travelling.

Aaron Todd, MHCDS, MPP
Iowa Primary Care Association, INConcertCare, and IowaHealth

Aaron Todd has served as a senior leader of the Iowa Primary Care Association, INConcertCare, and IowaHealth+ since 2015 and Chief Executive Officer since 2019. Aaron leads a dedicated, innovative team working to support the evolution of a statewide, integrated, community-health-focused safety net system of care. Previously, Aaron served in various roles in Iowa’s Executive and Legislative branches, including serving as a senior advisor on healthcare and behavioral health policy and funding. Prior to his work in healthcare policy and operations, Aaron’s career focused on economic and community development, a passion of his that he now pursues through service with nonprofit organizations and government commissions. Aaron currently serves on the boards of directors of OCHIN, National Association of Community Health Centers, Primary Care Leadership Council, and Greater Des Moines Supportive Housing. Aaron earned a Master of Health Care Delivery Science from Dartmouth College, Master in Public Policy from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Science from Iowa State University.