West Des Moines, Iowa NA Meetings

About NA Meetings in West Des Moines

Narcotics Anonymous is a free, peer-led fellowship for anyone who wants to stop using drugs. There are no dues, no fees, and no requirement beyond a desire to stop. West Des Moines, home to about 68,700 residents, is located mostly in Polk County.

However, smaller sections are reaching into Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties. Its meetings are part of the South Central Area of Narcotics Anonymous (SCANA), the same NA area that covers Des Moines, Ankeny, and Urbandale.

Finding an NA Meeting in West Des Moines

West Des Moines currently has a small, steady set of NA meetings, so the distance-based finder above does a lot of the work. The finder searches the area by radius rather than city limits, and for West Des Moines that means many of the closest current meetings sit just over the line in Des Moines, with more options in Ankeny and Urbandale a short drive further.

The meetings recorded in West Des Moines itself are closed meetings and Basic Text and step study meetings. Closed meetings are reserved for people who identify as having a drug problem.

If you are new to NA or looking for an open meeting, which welcomes anyone curious about the program, Des Moines has one close by. Check the finder above for the current schedule, since formats can change.

The South Central Area is part of the Iowa Region of Narcotics Anonymous, reachable at 800-897-6242 for current meeting information, or browse the full list of NA meetings across Iowa.

Drug Use and Overdose in Polk County

Nationally, drug overdose deaths have fallen for three straight years, and Iowa has followed that trend, though methamphetamine has passed opioids as the state’s leading cause of overdose death.

Most of West Des Moines sits in Polk County, where thousands of residents access substance use treatment each year through the state’s behavioral health system.

The Polk County figure reflects treatment admissions, not overdose deaths. County-level overdose death counts are not consistently published for Polk County, so the statewide total is shown instead.

Because West Des Moines also reaches into Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties, residents in those sections may see somewhat different local figures.

Treatment Options In and Near West Des Moines

Levels of care for a drug addiction range from medically supervised detox to inpatient rehabilitation to ongoing outpatient counseling. For opioid use disorder specifically, medications including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are the evidence-based standard of care. These medications work alongside NA rather than in place of it.

Polk County’s Behavioral Health and Disability Services office, which coordinates access to county-funded care, is based in West Des Moines at 1516 Valley West Drive.

SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov lets you search licensed treatment providers near any West Des Moines ZIP code, and the SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, offers free, confidential referrals 24 hours a day.

Naloxone and Harm Reduction

Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose and is safe to give even when you are not certain opioids are involved. Under Iowa’s statewide standing order, pharmacists can dispense naloxone without an individual prescription to a person at risk of overdose, someone in a position to help them, or a first responder.

• Iowa pharmacies: Ask any Iowa pharmacy for naloxone under the state’s standing order; no prescription is required.
• Free naloxone locator: Naloxoneiowa.org lists organizations distributing free naloxone by county, including options across the Des Moines metro area.

Iowa’s Good Samaritan law, in effect since 2018, protects a person who stays and calls 911 to report an overdose from certain drug possession charges, the first time a person uses it. For more on recognizing an overdose and what to do, see How Can I Recognize Overdose?

Crisis and Immediate Help

West Des Moines also reaches into Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties. If the Polk County line above doesn’t apply to you, 988 or Your Life Iowa (855-581-8111) can route you to your county’s crisis team.

West Des Moines NA Meetings FAQ

Are there NA meetings in West Des Moines?

Yes, though the number is smaller than in nearby Des Moines. The finder above shows current meetings in West Des Moines along with nearby options in Des Moines, Ankeny, and Urbandale.

Is there an open NA meeting in West Des Moines?

The meetings currently recorded in West Des Moines are closed, Basic Text, and step study meetings. If you’re looking for an open meeting, which welcomes anyone curious about NA, check the finder above for Des Moines, where open meetings are held.

Are NA meetings free to attend?

Yes, NA meetings have no dues or fees. Some groups pass a basket for voluntary contributions toward rent and literature, but nobody is turned away for not contributing.

What if there isn’t a meeting nearby when I need one?

The finder searches by distance, so widening the radius often turns up a meeting in Des Moines or one of the other nearby Polk County communities. You can also call the Iowa Region of NA at 800-897-6242 for current meeting information.

Is NA religious?

NA is not affiliated with any religion. Its program refers to a “higher power,” a concept each person defines for themselves, and meetings welcome people of any faith or none.

Do I have to be sober to attend a meeting?

Open meetings welcome anyone, including people who are still using and family members who want to understand NA. Closed meetings are reserved for people who identify as having a drug problem.

About This Directory

Narcotics.com is an independent resource and is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. We index publicly available meeting information to help people find support.

This page may include paid, sponsored placements from treatment providers, and we receive a commission on referrals made through some BetterHelp links. Sponsorship never determines which meetings appear in the finder above.

Related Pages

• Narcotics Anonymous: What It Is and How It Works
• Understanding Addiction Treatment
• How Can I Recognize Overdose?