$51M grant to aid Iowa handicapped
11:40 AM
By Dan GearinoLee Newspapers | Posted: Monday, January 22, 2007
DES MOINES - Iowa will receive a $51 million federal grant to help people with mental retardation move out of large institutions.
Gov. Chet Culver announced the grant Monday morning. He said the money will help people receive care in their homes or in small institutions.
"We are very pleased by this development," Culver said.
According to the Iowa Department of Human Services, the grant will pay for 528 Iowans to leave large institutions over the next five years. The state will need to kick in $218,000 this year and a total of $13 million over five years.
"It's really an effort to de-institutionalize the state, more than it is an attempt to say, 'Let's save money,'" said department director Kevin Concannon. "But it will save money over time because these are lifelong conditions. Many of these individuals are literally multimillion dollar clients in the Medicaid system over their lifetime."
The department estimates that 2,230 clients live in large institutions across the state, including 590 who live in state-run facilities in Glenwood and Woodward.
Iowa was one of 17 states that will receive grants out of 38 that applied. The size of the grant makes it one of the largest, if not the largest, single grants the department has ever received.
Dan Gearino can be reached at 515-243-0138 and dan.gearino@lee.net
Gov. Chet Culver announced the grant Monday morning. He said the money will help people receive care in their homes or in small institutions.
"We are very pleased by this development," Culver said.
According to the Iowa Department of Human Services, the grant will pay for 528 Iowans to leave large institutions over the next five years. The state will need to kick in $218,000 this year and a total of $13 million over five years.
"It's really an effort to de-institutionalize the state, more than it is an attempt to say, 'Let's save money,'" said department director Kevin Concannon. "But it will save money over time because these are lifelong conditions. Many of these individuals are literally multimillion dollar clients in the Medicaid system over their lifetime."
The department estimates that 2,230 clients live in large institutions across the state, including 590 who live in state-run facilities in Glenwood and Woodward.
Iowa was one of 17 states that will receive grants out of 38 that applied. The size of the grant makes it one of the largest, if not the largest, single grants the department has ever received.
Dan Gearino can be reached at 515-243-0138 and dan.gearino@lee.net
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