Iowa Department of Health and Human Services director Kelly Garcia says the closure of the state-run Glenwood Resource Center is nearly complete. The last resident moved into the community Tuesday afternoon, according to Garcia. “So as of (Tuesday) night, she said, “there were no residents left at Glenwood.”

Glenwood has provided residential care for Iowans with severe physical and intellectual disabilities. After federal investigations raised concerns about the welfare of residents, Governor Reynolds announced two years ago that Glenwood would be closed on June 30th of this year. Garcia says it was important to make that decision public, to give residents, their guardians and employees time to plan for the transition.

Garcia said “…The closure decision I think a few folks are still grieving and that is understandable.” U-S Justice Department investigators cited the facility for subjecting residents to unethical experiments and for providing poor medical care to residents.

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services director Kelly Garcia spoke with Radio Iowa on June 19, 2024. (RI photo)

Garcia says because of those federal reports, she had to hire part-time, temporary medical staff because full time clinicians would not take jobs at Glenwood due to its reputation.

About 150 residents were at the facility when its eventual closure was announced in April of 2022. Direct care workers and other staff were offered quarterly bonuses to stay on the job.

Garcia says over 200 employees are staying through June 30th and they’ll get another bonus of 10-thousand dollars.

The Glenwood Resource Center campus covers nearly 400 acres. After July 1st, about 20 state employees will work to maintain the campus until the property is turned over to the community. Garcia says January 1st is the target date for the transfer.

Some Glenwood staff members have taken jobs at other state-run facilities, including the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown and the Woodward State Resource Center which provides temporary residential services to Iowans with disabilities. Garcia says a few of the direct care workers at Glenwood are providing in-home care to former Glenwood residents.