Pictured above: Aviation & Entrepreneurial Center in east Council Bluffs, a partnership between the CB Airport and Iowa Western Community College. Health & Wellness HUMANS Hospitals and Clinics: Council Bluffs has two full-service, advanced, centrally-located hospitals - Jennie Edmundson Hospital and Alegent Health Mercy Hospital - as well as numerous specialized clinics. Each facility offers top medical technology and skilled physicians, representing over 20 medical specialties. There are also multiple dental and orthodontic clinics. Home Care: City residents are served by the Visiting Nurse Association of Pottawattamie County. Independent Living: The Center for Independent Living in Council Bluffs is part of the League of Human Dignity and assists citizens in integrating their abilities into living and thriving autonomously. Crossroads of Western Iowa also provides helpful services. Police: The Council Bluffs Police are trained professionals. The Police Chief encourages you to contact him if you, as a GLBT/Allied person, ever have any concerns about police conduct. Iowa hate crime laws include sexual orientation and Iowa domestic violence laws apply to gay and straight couples. Fire, Rescue and EMS: The Council Bluffs Fire Department provides a range of emergency and educational services including firefighting, disaster response, and emergency medical care. Professionals staff the city ambulances and firefighters in the neighborhood fire stations are also trained as paramedics to provide additional rapid response with life-saving skills. As part of their commitment to helping prevent needless loss of life, any Council Bluffs resident who needs a firefighter to check their smoke detector, free new batteries, or a free smoke detector should contact the Fire Department at (712) 328-4646. Help spread the word about this free service to your neighbors and consider donating to the Fire Department to support this important program. Services: Three helpful, inclusive organizations in Council Bluffs that serve city and county residents are Heartland Family Service, Lutheran Family Services, and Horizon Therapy Group. Heartland Family Service provides mental health services (individual, couple, child, family counseling), addiction services (chemical dependency, substance abuse, compulsive gambling), homeless services, and parenting classes. Lutheran Family Services provides adoption services, parenting classes, parenting support groups, parental life-skill development, and early childhood mental health services. Horizon Therapy Group in Council Bluffs provides a wide array of life-enhancing mental health services for people of all ages. Free HIV Testing and Hepatitis Vaccinations: The Council Bluffs Public Health Nursing Division offers free HIV counseling and testing regardless of sexual orientation as well as free Hepatitis A & B vaccinations for gay and bi males. Meals on Wheels: Meals on Wheels is available through the Loess Hills chapter of the American Red Cross in Council Bluffs. Hospice: Services are available through Hospice with Heart and the Visiting Nurses Association of Pottawattamie County. STS and SWITA: Special Transit Service (STS) provides curb-to-curb demand response service for individuals unable to use the Metro Area Transit (MAT) fixed bus route service because of a disability. STS is available to all eligible residents within Council Bluffs city limits. Transportation is also available to everyone in Pottawattamie County, including Council Bluffs, through the Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA). Aging: Iowans enjoy long life. Iowa ranks 2nd in the nation in the percent of population aged 85 and older, and the state ranks 4th in the nation in the percent of population aged 60+. The Bluffs Center is a wonderful municipal facility that serves elder residents of Council Bluffs with programs and offerings for its members, including support groups and seminars as well as fitness, aquatic and art classes. Southwest 8 Senior Services, headquartered in Council Bluffs, is an Area Agency on Aging, part of the state Department on Aging, and serves residents in the eight counties of southwest Iowa. Youth: Young Council Bluffians can enjoy soccer and softball through the Council Bluffs Youth Soccer Association and the Council Bluffs Eagles Softball Association, and can enjoy martial arts and volleyball through Sanders ATA Black Belt Academy, the Attack Volleyball Club and Third Degree Volleyball Club. Flag football and tackle football are provided by the Metro Youth Flag Football Association and Western Iowa Youth Sports. Youth sports are also available at the Council Bluffs YMCA and through Council Bluffs Parks and Rec. Boys & Girls Clubs of Council Bluffs and Kids & Company of the Community Education Foundation provide afterschool and summer programs for youth. West Pottawattamie County 4-H is open to any youth K-12. Foster and Adoptive Parenting: The Iowa Foster & Adoptive Parents Association serves as a resource for foster, adoptive and kinship families. PETS Veterinarians: Council Bluffs has excellent veterinarian clinics. Shelters: The Council Bluffs Animal Shelter and the Pottawattamie County Animal Shelter are lovingly maintained and the top places to add a furry friend to your household.