Link Associates is a community based non-profit organization that provides services that impact up to 1,000 people each month with intellectual disabilities and their families since 1953. The services offered are provided by approximately 270 employees who support those served to be fully integrated into the greater Des Moines community.
Every person served by Link Associates has the primary diagnosis of intellectual disability and frequently other intellectual and physical conditions as well. Although other organizations serve people with intellectual disabilities, Link Associates provides a full range of services.
People with intellectual disabilities attend school, go to work, participate in leisure opportunities and shop along with the rest of the community. However, people with intellectual disabilities and their families face exceptional challenges in maintaining support,, especially when they become adults. Adults with intellectual disabilities are often overlooked as it is more difficult to appeal to public support when they physically change from children to adults.
Link Associates recognizes the unique services needs by offering residential, day habilitation, community employment, transportation, case management, and leisure services. When combined, these services meet the full spectrum of life-long needs as well as the needs of their family.
Link Associates staff work side-by-side with each person assisting each to achieve their personal goals. Link’s employees are skilled and talented at looking beyond regulatory requirements to incorporate the quality elements of life and provide opportunities for the people we support to be contributing members of the community and not merely recipients of services. Link provides families with life long assurances of support of their loved one while working diligently to preserve family bonds while fostering personal independence and they are there to continue care as the parents of persons with intellectual disabilities reach the end of their lives.
Funded in part by the United Way of Central Iowa and Polk County Health Services
