General Relief

Mahaska County General Assistance shall be provided to residents of this county as mandated by the Code of Iowa, Section 252.25. The purpose and policy of such provisions of relief where appropriate, is to direct the applicant in removing barriers to self-sufficiency and economic self-support to prevent, reduce, or eliminate dependency.

Who Qualifies

Mahaska County General Assistance provides emergency payments and/or vouchers to needy and poor people in need of immediate assistance or people who cannot obtain assistance from any other source. Assistance may be provided to an individual that has income or benefits delayed from a state/federal program or not actually received because of reasons not attributable to the person, and who does not have liquid assets of the family unit to pay for the items of assistance that can be provided.

To qualify a person must:
Be a resident of Mahaska County
Be at least 18 years of age
Meet current income and resource guidelines
Chapter 252, Code of Iowa, provides for the repayment of General Assistance Claims by the applicant if he/she becomes able.
Assistance is available on a limited basis.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: Funding may not always be available due to County budget constraints.