(Radio Iowa) – A bill that shifts the responsibility for financing Iowa’s mental health system has cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now eligible for debate in the full Senate. Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, says ending county property taxpayer support of the system and having the state take over is the wrong step. “What you get with Des Moines control is unreliable funding, less accountability and more bureaucracy,” Bolkcom said.

Senator Ken Rozenboom, a Republican from Oskaloosa, says state tax dollars will be a long-term, stable source for mental health services. “This bill puts more money into mental health It doesn’t take money out of mental health and that’s worth noting,” Rozenboom said.

The bill also calls for ending state payments to local governments that started several years ago when a state law reduced commercial property taxes.

(Radio Iowa) – State officials say while millions of doses of Johnson and Johnson’s Covid vaccine that were produced at a Maryland plant are apparently ruined, they see no impact on Iowa’s shipments of the one-dose vaccine this week or next. It means the four mass vaccination sites at four Iowa college campuses will go on as scheduled.

Greg Christy, president of Northwestern College in Orange City, says his institution’s allotment next week is 500 doses. “With their college student now in their last month or so of class, we’re excited to get as many of them possible vaccines before they head out of the summer, wherever they may be going,” Christy says, “so our plan is to set up vaccine clinic here on campus late next week for our students and encourage as many of them as possible to participate.”

The vaccination clinic will be set up in the former library that was converted into a student center on the Orange City campus. Christy says all students are eligible. “It’s a first-come, first-served basis,” Christy says. “They just need to bring a copy of their insurance card with them, complete a brief form when they arrive and then I believe that the health system will be tracking data of who has been vaccinated because that could become important in the future.”

The Northwestern College president says having the student body get vaccinated will lead to the end of face coverings, quarantines and social distancing and a return to a more normal campus experience. “We’re not requiring students to get the vaccine,” Christy says, “but we’re obviously encouraging as many as possible to get the vaccine.”

State officials are also sending Johnson and Johnson vaccine doses to Dordt University, the University of Iowa in Iowa City and Des Moines Area Community College for mass vaccination clinics next week in Sioux Center, Iowa City and Ankeny. Governor Reynolds says the plan is to send more of the single-dose vaccine to other college and universities so students can be vaccinated before they leave campus for the summer.

Atlantic, IA — Cass County Health System in Atlantic, Iowa announced today it has been recognized as a 2021 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this 11th annual recognition program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Hospital Strength INDEX®.

“Our vision is to be the best rural hospital in America for patients to receive care, employees to work, and physicians to practice. This award reaffirms for us that we are growing closer to meeting that vision, and we couldn’t be prouder of our staff that has worked incredibly hard to get us to this point,” said Brett Altman, CEO of Cass County Health System.

“The Top 100 program continues to illuminate strategies and innovation for delivering higher quality care and better outcomes within rural communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “We are delighted to be able to spotlight the efforts of these facilities through the INDEX framework.”

Over the course of the last 11 years, the INDEX has grown to become the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Based entirely on public data and utilizing 36 independent indicators, the INDEX assesses rural hospitals across eight pillars of performance, including market share, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, and financial efficiency. The INDEX framework is widely used across the nation by independent rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints and state offices of rural health, which provide access to INDEX analytics through grant-funded initiatives.

Atlantic, IA —Cass County Public Health is now scheduling vaccine appointments for all adults. Anyone 16 or older is eligible beginning on April 5. Anyone in the area that would like to be vaccinated is encouraged to sign up immediately. To sign up, complete the form at casshealth.org/covidvaccine or call (712) 243-3250 and press 7.

It will take time to vaccinate everyone eligible. Cass County Public Health continues to receive approximately 300 doses per week, and they will schedule appointments as they have doses available.

It’s critical to continue practicing the mitigation measures that can slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Vaccinated Iowans should continue these precautions as we are still learning whether getting a vaccine will prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to other people, even if you don’t get sick yourself.

• Wear a mask or face covering
• Practice social distancing with those outside your household
• Clean your hands frequently with soap and water
• Stay home if you feel sick
• Get tested if you are exposed to, or have symptoms of COVID-19
• Get a COVID-19 vaccine when you are eligible
More information about coronavirus in Iowa can be found at coronavirus.iowa.gov.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County, Wednesday, arrested a Glenwood man, 48-year-old Dominic Anthony Hargis. He was arrested on a Page County Warrant for Violation of probation from an original sentencing charge of Sexual Abuse 3rd Degree.

Dominic Anthony Hargis

Hargis was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail. Hargis was transported to the Page County Jail where he is being held on $20,000 bond pending further court appearances

And, on Monday, Page County deputies arrested 42-year-old Justin Allen Sickler, of Yorktown, on a Page County Warrant for failure to appear for an original charge of Driving under Suspension. Sickler was arrested at the Page County Courthouse. He was transported to the Page County Jail where $300 bond was posted for him, and he was released pending future court proceedings.