Alcohol and Drug Use Statistics in Ankeny, IA
Like much of the Midwest, Ankeny, IA, has experienced a surge in opioid use and opioid-related overdoses in recent years. Ankeny is a northern suburb of Des Moines but part of Polk County in central Iowa. The following statistics illustrate the extent and impact of drug and alcohol use in Ankeny, Polk County, and the central substate region of Iowa:2,3
About 2% of female youth and 7% of male youth in Polk County reported being younger than nine years old when they first started using marijuana in 2021.
Less than 1% of female youth and about 1% of male youth reported using cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, or mushrooms in 2021.
Almost 4% of residents older than 12 years used illicit drugs in the past month, from 2016 to 2018.
About 61% of residents older than 12 years reported alcohol use in the past month from 2016 to 2018.
Less than 1% of residents older than 12 years used heroin in the past year from 2016 to 2018.
About 1% of residents older than 12 years used cocaine in the past year from 2016 to 2018.
About 4% of residents older than 12 years reported misuse of pain relievers in the past year from 2016 to 2018.
Almost 1% of residents older than 12 years used methamphetamine in the past year from 2016 to 2018.
Levels of Substance Abuse Care
Various levels of substance abuse treatment are available. You’ll want to know the different options before choosing a program.
Professional Detox
Drug detox is a set of interventions aimed at managing uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, helping you to achieve a substance-free and medically-stable state. Detox isn’t always necessary, but it is recommended for alcohol, benzo, and opioid addictions.
Inpatient Care
You live at the treatment facility for the entire length of the program, ranging from 30 to 90 days, receiving around-the-clock care, including individual therapy, group therapy, support groups, family therapy, medication (if applicable), and more.
Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs):
You live at home while attending therapy and counseling for several hours each day at a hospital or facility—between 20 and 30 hours per week. This is a great option for those who need a high level of support but don’t want to live elsewhere.
Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs):
You live at home while receiving therapy and other services in an outpatient setting for anywhere from nine to 20 hours per week.
Standard Outpatient:
The least intensive and structured option, you live at home and receive two to four hours of treatment per week. This option may be beneficial for someone with a mild addiction who has a great support system and strong motivation to get sober.
Relapse Prevention
After completing your initial treatment program, you will want to continue with relapse prevention services, such as support groups, ongoing therapy, transitional housing, or some combination of many services.
How to Pay for Addiction Treatment in Iowa
The following are various ways to finance your recovery program:
Private Insurance
If you have private health insurance from the Healthcare Marketplace or through your place of employment, you can use your insurance to cover the cost of drug and alcohol rehab. By law, your provider is required to cover addiction treatment services to the extent they cover medical services. This means they will likely provide partial or full coverage for treatment.
Iowa Medicaid
Iowa Medicaid is a federal health insurance program that provides coverage for low-income people and families who don’t have access to private insurance. You can use Iowa Medicaid to cover the cost of drug rehab in Ankeney.
Medicare
Iowa Medicare provides health insurance coverage to people aged 65 and older. Like Medicaid, Medicare covers substance abuse treatment services, such as inpatient and outpatient rehab as well as substance abuse assessments.
TRICARE in Iowa
Iowa is located in the West Region for TRICARE, a government program providing health insurance coverage for military personnel, veterans, and their families. You can use TRICARE to cover the cost of drug and alcohol rehab, making it more accessible.
Sliding Scale Payment Options
If a free rehab is full or has a long waiting list, you can apply to a sliding scale rehab, which only charges you what you can reasonably pay based on your income.
IHS-Funded Drug Rehabs
The Indian Health Services provides funding for some Iowa drug and alcohol rehab centers, making them able to provide free treatment to Indigenous people.
Is it Easy to Travel to and Within Ankeny, IA?
If you are considering treatment from an alcohol or drug rehab in Ankeny, Iowa, or visiting a friend or family member in rehab, you may find the following tips useful for planning your stay in the city.
- Ankeny has numerous tourist attractions, including Adventureland Park, Big Creek State Park, High Trestle Trail, and Firetrucker Brewery.
- Des Moines International Airport is about 25 minutes from Ankeny and serves as the main airport for flights to and from the Des Moines metropolitan area.
- Ankeny Regional Airport provides flights directly from Ankeny.
- Bus service from the Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART) makes it easy to travel around the Greater Des Moines area.
- The Ankeny Express, 98 bus, provides weekday service from Ankeny to Des Moines between 5:40 a.m. and 6:02 p.m.
- Ankeny is a very walkable city, so you can expect to run most errands while walking.
- Rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft offer services for travel within Ankeny and the Des Moines metropolitan area.
- Ankeny has many hotels with price ranges that accommodate different budgets, such as the Holiday Inn Express Des Moines Ankeny, La Quinta Inn and Suites, Quality Inn, Best Western, and Residence Inn by Marriott.
Iowa Substance Abuse and Treatment Laws
Iowa has several substance abuse and treatment laws that can help save lives, including:1
Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Act of 2021: This act increased access to drug addiction treatment services in prisons and jails and helped people transition to treatment in the community.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): This law includes drug and alcohol addiction as a disability, which means you may be eligible to receive disability benefits.
Code of Iowa Chapter 321J.17: This law requires that Iowa drivers who receive a DUI must undergo a substance misuse assessment.
Iowa Good Samaritan Law: This law encourages witnesses to call 911 in the event of an overdose by protecting them from prosecution for drug possession.
Resources
- Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of HIV, STD, and Hepatitis. (2019). Jurisdiction-level Vulnerability Assessments for Risk of Opioid Overdoses and Rapid Dissemination of HIV and Hepatitis C. Des Moines: Iowa Dept. of Public Health
- Iowa Department of Public Health. (n.d.). 2021 Iowa Youth Survey County Report.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). 2016-2018 NSDUH Substate Region Estimates – Tables.
