COUNCIL BLUFFS — Mosaic was honored with the Mother Mary Vincent McDermott Award on Tuesday by Alegent Health’s Life Group for the care the organization provides to community residents with chronic mental illness.
The annual award recognizes a group or an individual who has had a positive impact on mental health services in the community. It is named for the woman who founded St. Bernard Hospital in 1887 to care for the mentally ill. St. Bernard later merged with Mercy Hospital.
Barbara Skaff, community support specialist at Alegent Health, presented the award to Mosaic officials. “They have positively affected many lives in the community, and we are very grateful for the many things they do,” Skaff said.
“We are truly humbled by this award,” said Jim Poehlman, executive director of Mosaic in western Iowa.
He credited his employees for doing the “real work” — working with clients. “Our goal is to help people have the best life they can have for them.”
Mosaic operates Mosaic Outcomes, a residential facility for mentally ill adults once known as the Pottawattamie County Home, and offers supported community living at an apartment complex and in-home services.
Mosaic also operates two intermediate care facilities for the intellectually disabled in Denison, Iowa, and one in Logan, Iowa, and offers home and community-based services in the Logan area.
The organization employs about 20 people in Council Bluffs. Overall, Mosaic supports more than 3,500 clients and employs more than 5,000 people in 14 states.
Mosaic was formed July 1, 2003, with the consolidation of two Nebraska-based Lutheran organizations, Bethphage Inner Mission Association and Martin Luther Homes.
Martin Luther Homes had come to Council Bluffs in 2002 to operate the Pottawattamie County Home on contract for the county, Poehlman said.
“We made a commitment to serve only the people with mental illness,” he said, “and I think that’s worked well for us.”
Tuesday’s event was one of several sponsored by the Alegent Health Life Group, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Council Bluffs, NAMI Omaha and the Friendship Program as part of the local observance of Mental Health Awareness Month.
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