DES MOINES - Today, AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan issued the following statement about Governor Branstad's recommendation to close the Clarinda and Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Institutes:
"The well-being of the clients who rely on DHS facilities must come first in any decision about those facilities' future.
"This decision by the Branstad Administration to propose closing these facilities has taken almost everyone by surprise, including legislators. Before releasing this recommendation as part of the budget, Governor Branstad does not appear to have sought the opinion of the families of the clients of these two facilities, legislators, community leaders, employees, or AFSCME. The Iowa Department of Human Services even requested funds to operate these facilities; however, the Governor removed those funds from his budget
"The fact that this proposal was quietly tucked into a large budget book without explanation and not even mentioned by the Governor in his Condition of the State speech is yet another failure of the Governor to live up to his promises of a transparent and open government.
"Such a drastic recommendation that will impact the care of some of the most vulnerable Iowans should have not been reached behind closed doors. This sort of secretive government is wrong and it is not good for Iowans, especially those who will be affected by this decision.
"The recommendation already appears to be impacting care. Rep. Dave Heaton said that he was told by the Administration that the facilities have stopped accepting new patients and filling job vacancies. These sort of unilateral moves toward closure without consulting the legislature is inappropriate.
"AFSCME Iowa Council 61 believes the future of these facilities should be decided by the Legislature after extensive opportunities for input by all. The vulnerable Iowans who rely on these facilities deserve nothing less."
###
