09/04/2026
What do we do when people continue to cycle through programs that simply aren’t working for them? Do we give up, or do we reinvent what services can look like?
At 43 North Iowa, we chose to reinvent.
About three and a half years ago, we were approached about creating a program for people whose mental health needs made long-term stability difficult in traditional settings. Some had experienced homelessness for years. Others had been through 20 to 25 different placements, including some of our own programs.
We had to ask ourselves: Can we do better?
That question led to our Intensive Residential Service Home (IRSH), a small four-bed home designed to provide intensive support, long-term stability, and, over time, greater independence.
We didn’t set out to change hundreds of lives. We set out to greatly improve four lives at a time.
Since then, eight people have called IRSH home, and every one has either remained with us or stayed long enough to become healthier and transition to a more independent, less staff-intensive setting. Clients have reconnected with family, continued their education, and rebuilt parts of their lives that once seemed out of reach.
Just as importantly, our staff have helped bring back fun, joy and laughter, things that had been missing for far too long. Sometimes that means outings and celebrations. Sometimes, it means teaming up to pull a pretty good prank on staff. 😂
None of this happens alone. MercyOne North Iowa, Crisis Intervention Service, Mason City Police Department, Community Health Center of Mason City, Prairie Ridge Integrated Behavioral Healthcare, and others have helped create stability for people who had spent years bouncing from one place to another.
Is it messy? Yes. Social work can be messy.
Is it perfect? No. We’ve learned a lot.
But does it provide hope for people in our community who desperately needed something different? YES.
Sometimes the answer isn’t large and wide. Sometimes it’s small, focused and deeply personal.
We’re proud of the dedicated IRSH staff who continue to provide stability, opportunity, laughter, and a place to belong.
