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Iowa House, Senate Vote To Keep Mental Health Institutes Open

The Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute would remain open under a budget plan approved by the Iowa House and Senate.

The future of two of Iowa's mental health institutes -- including one in southeast Iowa -- is now in the hands of Governor Terry Branstad, who proposed closing them at the start of the legislative session.
The Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate approved the Health and Human Services budget Wednesday night. The nearly $2 billion spending plan includes funding for both the Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute and the Clarinda Mental Health Institute.

The agreement calls for the Mount Pleasant facility to remain open and return to providing adult acute psychiatric care and dual diagnosis substance abuse in-patient care.

Meanwhile, the Clarinda location would remain open through Dec. 15, 2015.  The goal is to then turn over operations to a private nursing home contractor.  The facility would continue to provide services for persons who are sexually aggressive or combative due to mental illness.  There would be a hiring preference for current employees.

Credit Jason Parrott / TSPR
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TSPR
State Senator Rich Taylor (D-Mount Pleasant)

State Sen. Rich Taylor (D-Mount Pleasant), who helped lead the charge to keep the facilities open, said this is a "win-win" for all involved.

"Iowa families already often struggle to find high quality, accessible, affordable mental health care," said Taylor.  "Because reducing access to intensive mental health services would only make things worse, we've worked out a bi-partisan agreement."

State Rep. Dave Heaton (R-Mount Pleasant), who chairs the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, said this is an issue that both parties had to address.

"Mental illnesses can be especially challenging to families and communities," said Heaton.  "After carefully considering the issues and listening to health care providers and advocates, Democrats and Republicans worked together to arrive at this bipartisan solution."

Credit www.legis.iowa.gov
State Rep. Dave Heaton (R-Mount Pleasant)

The Health and Human Services budget now goes to Gov. Branstad for final approval.  He has the opportunity to use his veto pen, which is a possibility after targeting both locations for closure in his budget proposal to the legislature.

A spokesman said the governo will carefully review the bill while also continuing to consider how the state provides the highest quality of care to individuals in need.