Boys Town Iowa

Boys Town Iowa Brings Help, Healing and Hope to Council Bluffs

When Tammy realized her granddaughter needed specialized treatment, she knew exactly where to turn.

“Boys Town Iowa has been wonderful,” she said, “Our counselor, Kate, is a real advocate for children.”

Tammy’s daughter graduated from Boys Town 17 years earlier, and she knew she could find quality help with the organization again. This time, she’s finding the services she needs for her granddaughter in her own home town of Council Bluffs, Boys Town Iowa’s new home.

“Our new office in Council Bluffs gives us a central location to expand services to children and families in Iowa,” said Cindy Tierney, Boys Town Iowa Program Director. “We served 245 children and 117 families last year and this new location will help us reach out to even more.”

Boys Town Iowa began serving southwest Iowa in 1989, and currently serves children and families in nine Iowa counties and eastern Nebraska, primarily through Family Based Services including Family Preservation Services and Family Centered Services, and Treatment Foster Family Services. The Boys Town Parent Visitation Program also allows families going through difficulties to meet in a supervised, neutral setting.

“Our new office has a family like environment for visitations and we work hard to help families learn to communicate with each other in a home-like setting,” said Tierney.

“Our Iowa location, along with our other 18 sites across the country, makes Father Flanagan’s dream of providing help, healing and hope to children and families a reality,” said Father Steven Boes, Boys Town National Executive Director. “Our counselors are working to make families better and give a brighter future to our children.”

Tammy’s family has been in Boys Town Iowa program for the past six years, utilizing In-Home Family Therapy, Parent Respite and the Child Mental Health Waver Program. Tammy says many of her granddaughter’s milestones and successes are because of Boys Town.

“Our experience with Boys Town Iowa has been a real positive one,” she said. “Whether we’re discussing a support aspect for my granddaughter, or just listening and being a sounding board for me, I know we’re getting the help we need.”

Boys Town Iowa officially opened its new Council Bluffs offices with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 21. Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan, representatives from the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, and Carol Gutchewsky, Social Work Administrator for the Iowa Department of Human Services were there to welcome the organization to the city.