Michaela Ramm is a health care reporter for the Des Moines Register who covers a wide range of health-related topics for a statewide audience. She was a 2020-2021 Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellow.
Heather Preston, an Iowa mom of five adopted sons with behavioral health needs, struggles to find care due to waitlists, low Medicaid funding, and a lack of therapists across the state.
The severity of youth mental health needs intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic, with more children exhibiting extreme behaviors.
Iowa youth face a growing mental health crisis worsened by lack of early care, long wait times, and a broken system. Families only get help after crisis, prompting reform efforts.
