DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says the state agency that advocates for the elderly and disabled will review its budget in an effort to avoid some cuts to staff visits at facilities like nursing homes, but she didn’t offer specifics. The Republican governor told reporters Tuesday her office is communicating with the office of the Iowa Long-Term Care Ombudsman to review options.
The ombudsman’s office announced recently that reductions to its state-appropriated budget, which is just above $1 million, would limit staff travel to facilities like nursing homes. The travel is aimed at monitoring conditions.
Reynolds says a large portion of the office’s budget is salaries and administrative costs, so officials may try to use resources differently. She declined to clarify if that could lead to layoffs at the ombudsman’s office.