Latest news with #IowaDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Third Iowa baby surrendered this year
IOWA (KCAU) — Another baby has been surrendered in the State of Iowa under the 'Safe Haven' act. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced the surrender in a press release. They said a baby girl, born on May 23, is now in the custody of the state. She will be placed with a foster family for now. Story continues below Top Story: OSHA has set fines for workplace death in January Lights & Sirens: Nebraska officials find 25 lbs of drugs during I-80 stop Sports: Local IHSAA State Quarterfinal soccer scoreboard Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here She is the third baby to be surrendered under the 2002 law so far in 2025. To surrender a baby under Iowa's Safe Haven Act, he or she must be 90-days old or younger and delivered to a designated location like hospitals and police or fire stations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
After multiple arrests, Iowa man sues when he's denied SNAP benefits
(Photo by) An Iowa man who says he has no stable access to food is suing the state, alleging it has unfairly denied him access to food assistance based on a criminal conviction later voided by the courts. Charles Hasselmann, 32, of Ankeny alleges that in 2023, he applied for food assistance while residing in a correctional facility as a result of a probation-revocation order that was premised on a finding of him being a habitual offender. The sentence was later vacated by a district court judge, Hasselmann claims, with the judge finding the habitual-offender enhancement to his sentence on a theft conviction lacked sufficient factual basis. Because of that finding, the court also set aside the related order that revoked his probation, Hasselmann claims. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Court records indicate the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services later disqualified Hasselmann from receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, for at least 12 months. It also demanded restitution for overpayment, citing 'stolen' funds that Hasselmann says are due to others' unauthorized use of his benefits card. In his lawsuit against DHHS, Hasselmann is seeking an injunction that would award him SNAP benefits and halt any further efforts at collections for the alleged overpayments. In his petition, Hasselmann claims he was recently released from more than two years of incarceration and now has no reliable access to food or income. The public interest, he argues, strongly favors his access to 'basic nutritional support.' The state has yet to file a response to the lawsuit, but in a related court case attorneys for the state argued that while a judge did find there was insufficient factual basis to impose the habitual-offender sentence enhancement on the conviction for theft, the court did not disturb the underlying conviction for theft. The state's lawyers say that under a plea deal that was later reached, Hasselmann had agreed to a prison term of no more than five years on the theft charge. The court then set aside the earlier probation violation order, the state alleges, not because it represented 'an illegal sentence,' but because, through the subsequent plea deal, a five-year prison sentence had been agreed to and imposed. Court records indicate that since 2012, Hasselmann has been charged with numerous felony and misdemeanor offenses, resulting in seven convictions for theft, five convictions for driving while barred, five convictions for forgery, two convictions for assault and two convictions for drunken driving. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Kim Reynolds signs into law rural health care, medical residency expansion proposal
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed two healthcare bills into law at the Guthrie County Hospital in Guthrie Center May 28, 2025, including her proposal to increase rural health care accessibility. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Wednesday her legislative proposal to increase physician training options and rural health care accessibility, a step she said will help ease burdens on rural hospitals and increase patients' health outcomes across the state. Reynolds signed House File 972 at Guthrie County Hospital in Guthrie Center, one of many rural health providers she said will benefit from the measure. The law, which she first introduced in February, includes multiple components. It directs the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to create a 'hub-and-spoke' funding model for rural health care services based on the current Centers of Excellence Program and makes changes to Iowa Medicaid rates for providers serving mothers and infants. Reynolds said improving rural health care access 'starts with growing our physician workforce.' To address health care workforce shortages, the law makes changes to Iowa's training and residency programs — HHS is also directed to work to draw down $150 million in federal funding that will go toward the creation of a projected 115 new residency slots at Iowa teaching hospitals. Reynolds said this expansion will help Iowa retain more of the health care providers who went to school in Iowa. 'Doctors often decide to practice where they do their residency,' Reynolds said. 'Today, Iowa ranks 40th in the number of residency slots … which means many of our (medical graduates) don't get chance to continue their training here.' The new residency slots are one way to encourage medical providers to stay in the state — another part of the law works to provide an incentive to health care providers by consolidating the state's medical student loan repayment programs to a new system with a boost of $8 million in funding, opening the program to individuals who are trained out-of-state who commit to practicing in high-demand areas of Iowa for five years. Other medical professions, like Registered Nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants, can also receive funding for training through the Health Care Professional Incentive Program, with Iowa HHS designating what fields are in high demand and eligible for the program. Chris Stipe, the CEO of Guthrie County Hospital, thanked Reynolds for pursuing this measure, saying her administration has prioritized improving health care providers' 'ability to recruit and retain health care workers in rural Iowa.' 'It's no secret, there's a physician shortage and a nurse shortage, but let's be honest, there's a shortage of all qualified healthcare workers in nearly every field,' Stipe said. 'And workforce shortages are often more severe in smaller communities. If we are to continue to effectively care for our rural Iowa communities, critical strategies such as loan forgiveness programs and graduate medical education programs must be funded and expanded and run efficiently.' He also thanked Reynolds for signing a bill on health care workers' safety. She also signed House File 310 Wednesday, a bill that expands the definition of 'health care provider' under existing laws that provide increased penalties — a Class D felony — for assaulting people in certain occupations. The new definition would raise the criminal charges for assaulting anyone who is working, volunteering or participating in education at a hospital or rural emergency hospital. Reynolds said the measure is necessary to address increasing cases of violence occurring at health care facilities. In addition to signing these two health care measures, the governor also signed a slate of bills into law Tuesday. The bills she signed include: House File 856, a measure banning state entities, including local governments and community colleges, from spending funds or opening diversity, equity and inclusion offices and officials. House File 865, a change to Iowa's definition of 'bullying and harassment,' removing reference to bullying as acts and conduct based on 'any actual or perceived trait or characteristic' that lists characteristics like age, religion, race, sexual orientation and disability as potential traits a student could targeted for. The new definition states bullying is defined as 'repeated and targete' acts and conduct that create a hostile school environment for a student. Senate File 608, increasing the grain indemnity fund maximum of $16 million and minimum of $8 million to help cover farmers' losses in credit-sale contracts. House File 889, Reynolds' proposal to provide four weeks of paid parental leave to stay employees within 12 months of birth or adoption. Senate File 369, another of the governor's goals, that requires Iowa high school students pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization civics test with at least 60% to graduate beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Measles case confirmed in central Iowa man
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the first 2025 case of measles in Iowa on Friday. HHS reports a case was confirmed in an unvaccinated adult from central Iowa. The case tested positive through the State Hygienic Laboratory, according to HHS. This is the first confirmed 2025 case of measles in Iowa, and the first case of measles in Iowa since 2019. Iowa joins 31 other states that have reported cases in an evolving measles outbreak. According to the HHS, this outbreak has been responsible for 1,024 confirmed measles cases and three confirmed measles deaths this year. US measles case count climbs slightly to 1,046 cases, while Indiana's outbreak ends According to HHS, a thorough investigation has been completed, and public health officials will be reaching out to identified contacts. No widespread public exposure is anticipated. 'The best time to prevent measles is before an exposure occurs and the best tool we have is getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine,' said Dr. Robert Kruse, State Medical Director. 'Getting vaccinated not only protects you but also protects people in your community who can't get vaccinated, like infants too young to begin the series and those who are immunosuppressed. We ask Iowans to review their vaccination records and medical records to ensure they are protected and to reach out to their healthcare provider if they have questions.' Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that is spread through the air when an infectious person coughs, sneezes, or breathes. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, red/watery eyes, runny nose, and a rash. If you think you have been exposed to a measles case and have symptoms, call your medical provider or nearest emergency room ahead of time and tell them that you have been exposed to measles and have symptoms before arriving. Visit Iowa Health and Human Services for more information on measles. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
First case of measles discovered in Iowa
IOWA (KCAU) — The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reported the first case of measles in Iowa. The case involves an unvaccinated adult in central Iowa. This is the first case of measles in Iowa since 2019. 'The best time to prevent measles is before an exposure occurs and the best tool we have is getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine,' said State Medical Director Dr. Robert Kruse. 'Getting vaccinated not only protects you but also protects people in your community who can't get vaccinated, like infants too young to begin the series and those who are immunosuppressed. We ask Iowans to review their vaccination records and medical records to ensure they are protected and to reach out to their healthcare provider if they have questions.' Story continues below Top Story: Sioux City pools to open just in time for summer vacation Lights & Sirens: Sioux City Police Dept. takes wanted suspect into custody Sports: Local Iowa high school state track and field results Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here A total of 31 other states have reported measles in the U.S., and the outbreak has been responsible for more than 1,000 cases across the country. At least three people have died due to the virus. The HHS says: If you think you have been exposed to a measles case and have symptoms, call your medical provider or nearest emergency room ahead of time and tell them that you have been exposed to measles and have symptoms before arriving. Visit this website for more information on measles. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
