Deadline looming for first look at closure of Mental Health Institutes

On Dec. 15, the Department of Human Services (DHS) will present its decision to Iowa Gov. Chet Culver and the Legislature.

"The DHS' task is to look at the four and decide which of the four it makes sense to close and consolidate into the others with the least potential patient care interruption and with a potential cost savings to the state," said Bill Gardam, DHS division administrator for mental health and disability services.

Closing the Cherokee MHI would be damaging for Plymouth County because the county and patients would pay more for transportation costs to travel greater distances to other facilities for care.

Related agencies that rent space on the Cherokee MHI's campus could also face hardships if the facility closed because it would mean finding new homes.

Dec. 15 is also the deadline for the Mental Health Task Force to provide its findings, following an in-depth study of the four Mental Health Institutes (MHIs), to the governor and Legislature.

During the task force's study, members looked at areas of each MHI like its strengths and weaknesses, patient care and programs, and economic impact on communities they serve.

The DHS will take into consideration findings from the task force's study when making its recommendation as to which MHI to close, Gardam said.

"I think they will pay attention because everybody on the task force is pretty strong advocates. Everyone has some experience with mental health," said Ro Foege, chairman of the Mental Health Institute Task Force.

Culver appointed 11 members to the task force and named Foege as chairman.

Members include a director of a behavioral health hospital, head of the department of human rights and a school administrator who worked on mental health boards and commissions, Foege said.

The task force began its study of the MHIs in Cherokee, Independence, Clarinda and Mount Pleasant in August. In September the task force began visits to each facility.

In addition, the task force held meetings at all four MHIs to receive public comment.

At each facility at least 400 people attended to show their support, Foege said.

"Each community had an outpouring," he said. "That sent a strong message."

The task force has since held meetings to discuss observations and information collected during the site visits, from the public and through research about the four MHIs.

DHS representatives have been attending all the task force meetings, Gardam said.

The next meeting is Wednesday in Urbandale.

"They will have specific recommendations at this meeting," Gardam said. "We'll know what's going on at the MHIs and what's the impact."

Foege said the task force's purpose in completing the study of the four MHIs is not to make a recommendation to close one of the MHIs -- that's the DHS' assignment.

His sense from members of the task force is they aren't in favor of any of the MHIs closing, Foege said.

"We think they are giving a valuable service and (there are) not enough in Iowa," he said. "We need to increase those services and not decrease those."

The Legislature is the only body with authority to close a MHI and will decide whether to do so and consolidate it with the other three when it reconvenes next month.