Reynolds met with Executive Director of CFR Michelle De La Riva, several staff and board members of CFR, and representatives from organizations that partner with CFR.

The visit began with a testimonial from Daniel Robell, a soon-to-be graduate of CFR’s Drug Court program. Robell spoke about how he had been in and out of prison for more than 20 years due to addiction.

“I was so sick of it. I needed to try something different,” Robell said.

Robell learned of the Drug Court program from a fellow inmate during his last stay in prison and decided to try it

Messenger photo by Michaela Frerichs
Daniel Robell speaks about his journey to sobriety with the help of Community and Family Resources’ Drug Court Program.

“I needed change so I gave it a shot,” he said.

With tears in his eyes, Robell said through the CFR program, he was able to find sobriety and move forward with his life

“I started to believe in myself and get a sense of who I really was. I started to thrive and wanted more out of life,” Robell said.

Robell is set to graduate from Drug Court this month.

After his remarks, Reynolds said to Robell, “I’m really proud of you. I’ve walked that path, I spent time in recovery as a recovering alcoholic and I had to hit bottom in order to turn my life around.”

Reynolds asked Robell and the staff members of CFR questions about the Drug Court program and then staff presented Reynolds with more information about the work done in their center.

Flora Schmidt, executive director of Iowa Behavioral Health Association in Urbandale, presented their State Policy Priorities Summary for 2021-2022 to Reynolds and discussed the needs they are facing in the Behavioral Health Field. Some of those items requested include an increase in the Medicaid budget by $7-$10 million in order to increase substance use disorder and mental health treatment reimbursement rates, addressing behavioral health workforce shortages, and regulating e-cigarettes and vaping products in the same way as tobacco.

Schmidt also said they are asking for dedicated funding to sustain behavioral health services such as a comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services benefit, raising additional revenues to support prevention initiatives and expand treatment across the state, and investing behavioral health related settlement funds to support providers of mental health and addiction treatment and prevention services.

De La Riva led Reynolds on a tour of the facility and explained the resources they provide. Reynolds thanked De La Riva and the staff for their continuing work through the pandemic when many facilities were forced to close their doors.