Winneshiek County officials are wrestling with mental health program reorganization

Last week the Iowa Legislature approved a reorganization of mental health and developmental disability programs in the state.  Now county officials will have to figure out what the new legislation means for their county.

On Monday Winneshiek County supervisors got a report from Winneshiek County CPC Coordinator Jan Heikes.  She told supervisors the new system, which will create regional groups to handle mental health and developmental disability programs, will take two years to fully go into operation.

During the first phase of the reorganization, which will start July 1st, the state will begin paying all Medicaid costs--which amount to 70 percent of the MH/DD Budget in Winneshiek County.  However, the state will keep all money, except property tax receipts, to pay those Medicaid costs.

"Some counties are really, really going to get hurt," predicted Heikes, but she believes Winneshiek County won't be one of them.  "I think we're going to be OK," said Heikes.

Under the legislation, counties can impose a property tax levy of $47.24 per person to pay for their share of MH/DD costs.  That is roughly $20/person less than what is being levied now.

Winneshiek County supervisors will travel to West Union next Tuesday morning for a meeting with officials from nine other NE Iowa counties to discuss the MH/DD reorganization.  The legislature is requiring counties to form regional groups to administer MH/DD Programs under the new legislation.