Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • McCoy statement to Oversight Committee on DHS and failure to protect abused children

    Iowa Senate News Release
    State Senator Matt McCoy: (515) 681-9327
    For Immediate Release: June 5, 2017

     

    Senator Matt McCoy: Opening Statement
    at Joint Government Oversight Meeting – June 5, 2017

     

    Thank you. Chairmen.

    On behalf of children who have fallen through the cracks at the Iowa Department of Human Services, I am grateful that you have decided to convene a Government Oversight Committee meeting to look into the staffing, general welfare practices, internal policies at DHS.

    I am also pleased that you are willing to exam elements of the Iowa homeschool options and the negative impact that they had on all three of the latest high profile cases.

    The horrific deaths of Natalie Finn and Sabrina Ray, and the beatings and abuse Malayia Knapp escaped, are only the most horrific examples. I have many more cases that need review.

    Last week, we learned of another case involving a brother and sister that were badly abused and mistreated. Justin and Crystal Winterthine suffered years of abuse at the hands of Mike and Laurie Winterthine. The children report living in a barn and only getting cow’s raw warm milk to drink with no other food, other than slices of bread once in a while.

    When Justin finally ran away at age 18, he weighed 85 pounds. An older sibling filed a complaint with DHS about Crystal, and the family was told to not do that (type of feeding, only milk), and she was allowed to stay in the home of her abusers.

    We have seen cases where babysitters dropped a child from three feet in the air into his crib and violently turned over the infant baby by his torso, legs and arms. DHS told mother Ellen Kirkpatrick that they would investigate this case and review it. They never followed up until I was able to get WHO-TV to do a story on the case. DHS opened an investigation the following day.

    How many more Iowa children are living in a hellish nightmare of abuse right now?

    Iowans are outraged. They can’t believe this is happening in our state, and they want it stopped.

    I’m as glad as I can be today that the Legislature’s Joint Government Oversight Committee is finally addressing this issue. I believe the Government Oversight Committee’s job is the following:

    • Examine why Iowa children under state care are suffering and dying.
    • Examine the impact of the $16 million cut to DHS field services by Governor Reynolds and House and Senate Republicans this spring.
    • Fix the problems and prevent future tragedies.
    • Examine Iowa’s homeschool loopholes that allow girls like Maylayia, Natalie, Sabrina, Justin and Crystal to be homeschooled without a single bit of accountability or oversight from adults. This isolates the victim and threatens our entire welfare system for children by removing an important safety net. That safety net is a school mandatory reporter and a hot lunch program for kids.

     

    Here are some numbers that show why the Iowa’s current system to prevent child abuse is stressed beyond its capacity:

    • 1,135 fewer people work for DHS today than when Governor Branstad\Reynolds assumed office in 2010.
    • Last year, 37,840 children and adults were assessed for abuse.
    • 36 percent of all assessments yielded a finding of abuse, indicating a need for child welfare case management.
    • Just 182 Iowa social workers do on-site assessments for abuse.
    • 56 Iowa counties have no assigned child investigators who actually live in that county.
    • As many as 20 to 70 cases are being assigned to single investigators. Some child protection workers work 60 hour weeks to handle their excessive caseloads.

     

    Those numbers tell the story of a system in crisis. Those numbers tell us there will be more tragedies if things don’t change.

    This spring, $8 million was cut from DHS field operations in legislation passed by Republicans and signed by the Governor. That legislation resulted in an additional $8 million cut in federal matching funds to DHS field services.

    According to DHS in memo released to me June 1, after review of available funds, it is estimated that field operations can afford an average of 64 fewer staff in FY18 than the level of staff employed on May 4, 2017. On May 4, field operations had 1,535 filled FTEs. The anticipated average level for FY18 is currently estimated at 1,471 FTEs.

    DHS will move approximately half of the overtime into salaries. DHS will allow attrition to reduce staffing. No Social Worker IIIs will be laid off. The memo does not address non- Social Worker IIIs and support staff that Social Worker IIIs rely on, including abuse hotline staff, clerical staff and more.

    During debate on the DHS budget, I asked Sen. Mark Costello, the floor manager, to explain how Iowa’s at-risk children would be impacted by this $16 million cut.

    He had no answer. Based on what I’ve learned from talking with DHS employees and reading the DHS budget, here are a few things that WILL happen:

    • Iowans who are worried a child may be in danger and who call the abuse hotline will wait longer to speak to someone.
    • The person they speak to will be under more pressure to end that call quickly in order to answer the next one.
    • In some cases, crucial information will fail to be communicated.
    • It will be less likely DHS will send a staffer out to contact that family.
    • If a staffer is sent out to investigate, that state worker’s time and attention will be stretched among an even heavier caseload.
    • It will be more likely that the overworked investigator will miss clues that indicate abuse is occurring.
    • If the investigator finds there is evidence of abuse, it will take longer for DHS to follow up.
    • If a child is adopted out of foster care, the number and thoroughness of DHS follow-up visits will be less than it is now.

     

    In short, the child protection system in our state is on track to becoming WORSE, not better. Children are falling through the cracks, and unfortunately, that euphemism means children are literally being killed by abuse, neglect and starvation.

    The social workers struggling to deal with this crisis are also victims. This system is desperately underfunded and in need of managers who will not allow the safety of Iowa children to be compromised.

    Yes, of course there should be an outside review of Iowa’s Department of Human Services, but we have seen this administration and its appointees make excuses for inexcusable results time and time again. That’s why there must also be in-depth, long-term and transparent legislative oversight as well.

    I want to work with my colleagues here today—Republicans, Democrats and Independents—to do whatever we must to reform and reinvest in Iowa’s child protection systems. It is our duty to help protect Iowa’s most vulnerable children.

  • Top Senate Democrat on tax committee invites Governor to support bipartisan tax reform

    Senator Pam Jochum

    For Immediate Release:  June 5, 2017

    DES MOINES — Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque, the lead Democrat in the Iowa Senate on tax issues, has written a letter in response to Governor Kim Reynolds’s call for comprehensive tax reform.

    “Iowans deserve a tax system that is fair to everyone, not just the special interests,” Jochum said. “Because of the state’s cobbled together tax policies, many Iowans believe the system is rigged against them. Iowans deserve a tax system that works for all of us and increases prosperity for more Iowans.”

    Jochum wrote that she welcomes the Governor’s promise to support bipartisan legislation and then outlined four essential principles of truly bipartisan tax reform.

    In her letter, Jochum noted that:

    • “Tax reform must be fair…Iowa’s lowest income earners pay the largest portion of their income in taxes. Changes to Iowa’s tax system should address this situation and not make this problem worse.”
    • “Tax reform must make Iowa’s tax code more transparent so Iowa can show its true competitiveness to the nation…Our tax rates appear to be among the highest in the nation — but according to the Tax Foundation, the amount paid by Iowans through our tax system ranks Iowa in the middle of the pack.”
    • “Tax reform needs to take into account our current budget situation…We must not repeat the mistakes of Kansas, which passed massive tax cuts that have resulted in a continual budget crisis where schools are underfunded…”
    • “Tax reform needs to examine corporate tax credits…We must determine if these corporate tax credits a good return on the investment and benefit Iowans, not just those few businesses.”

    “True tax reform would be fair, transparent, affordable, and include reforms of corporate tax credits,” said Jochum.  “There is strong Democratic support for true tax reform.  If that’s Governor Reynolds’ goal, I say: ‘Bring it on!’”

     

    June 2 letter on bipartisan tax reform from Senator Jochum to Governor Reynolds

  • Updates regarding efforts to protect children at risk of abuse

    This page will be continually updated with Iowa Senate Democratic information on protecting children at risk of abuse.

     

    July 6th:

    Democratic legislators offer next steps to improve child welfare

     

    June 5th meeting:

    Video of hearing: Part 1 (morning)  |  Part 2 (afternoon)

    Meeting agenda with speakers and topics to be covered

    Opening statement by State Senator Matt McCoy, ranking member on the Government Oversight Committee.

    Radio Iowa coverage of meeting: After two tragic teen deaths, legislators hold hearing on Iowa’s child welfare system

    Coalition for Responsible Home Education calls into question the only homeshcool expert witness to testify at the hearing: Iowa Legislature Hears from Homeschool Organization with a History of Opposing Child Welfare Measures

    Iowa DHS decides to to have Alabama organization review of their child welfare efforts after pressure from outraged Iowans over failure to protect children from abuse: DHS Engages National Expert for Child Welfare Review

     

    May 2017

    Three-point plan to end string of Iowa child deaths

    Senators respond to DHS Director Palmer retirement

    March 20th meeting: https://www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/videos/10154381540801778/

    Senator McCoy and other legislators on efforts to investigate if the Iowa Department of Human Services is able to protect Iowa children at risk of abuse.

     

    March 13th meeting:

    Part 1: https://www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/videos/10154364013276778/

    Part 2: https://www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/videos/10154364075661778/

    Wendy Rickman, Division Administrator, Policy, Department of Human Services will answer questions from legislators. Wendy Rickman has been employed with DHS since 1987. Since beginning her employment with DHS, Wendy has served as an Abuse Assessor, ongoing Case Manager, Service Administrator for Scott County, and a Service Area Manager for the Davenport and the Des Moines Service Areas. Wendy is currently serving as the Division Administrator for the Division of Adult Children and Family Services.

     

    March 6th meeting: https://www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/videos/10154341078836778/

    Iowa children are falling through the cracks and government policies may be part of the problem. Rachel Coleman, Executive Director of the Coalition For Responsible Home Education, is the speaker.

     

    February 27th meeting: https://www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/videos/10154323020581778/

    Malayia Knapp, who was beaten, starved, and imprisoned by her adoptive parents, speaks to Senator Matt McCoy and Representative Abby Finkenauer, members of the Senate and House Oversight Committees, and other legislators. McCoy and Finkenauer are holding a series of meetings on what Iowa can do to help children who are falling through the cracks and the government policies that may be part of the problem.

     

  • Senators respond to DHS Director Palmer retirement

    Senators Liz Mathis and Amanda Ragan at a Medicaid Oversight Committee Meeting.

    Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City, ranking member of the Health and Human Services Budget Committee:

    “I wish retiring Director Palmer well. He’s done his best under difficult circumstances.

    “However, the real problems of a disastrous budget, less staff, higher caseloads, and lack of oversight need to be addressed.  The rollout, implementation, and proven problems with Medicaid privatization can no longer be overlooked.  We need an open, honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of DHS and what it needs to succeed, including funding and staffing levels.”

     

    Senator Liz Mathis of Robins, ranking member of the Senate Human Services Committee:

    “With Director Palmer’s retirement comes the opportunity to address some of the problematic issues around casework and managed care. I hope Governor Reynolds will consider someone who is willing to work with both sides of the aisle to accomplish more accessibility to critical services like mental health.

    “I have worked with Director Palmer in a number of ways, from strategic planning on children’s mental health to Medicaid and managed care.  He had a difficult job but Director Palmer was professional and accessible to me as a legislator. I wish him well.”

    -end-

  • Three-point plan to end string of Iowa child deaths

    A three-point reform plan to prevent another Iowa child from being injured or killed by abuse has been put forth by two members of the Iowa Senate Government Oversight Committee.

    “The state has failed at-risk children again and again,” said Senator Janet Petersen, a member of Oversight Committee.  “Iowans are demanding change, they are demanding results, and they do not want to see another child die due to the failures of the Branstad/Reynolds Administration.

    Petersen and Senator Matt McCoy, the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, released the following three-point plan to prevent another death like that of Sabrina Ray.  The Iowa teen had been adopted out of foster care and was being home-schooled when her body was found last Friday in a Perry home.

    • We call on Chuck Palmer, Director of the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS), to either resign or be fired by the Branstad/Reynolds Administration.
    • We call on Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds to replace Director Palmer with a director experienced in, and deeply committed to, the protection of abused and at-risk children.
    • We call on Governor Branstad, Lt. Governor Reynolds and Legislative Republicans to fix the deadly mistakes they made this spring when they cut $24 million from the DHS budget, including $16 million cut to the field service workers who investigate and protect children at risk of abuse.

    Senator McCoy said he is committed to working on a bipartisan solution with Republican legislators.  A Oversight Committee meeting on this issue is planned for Monday, June 5th.

    “I am still extremely disappointed that Republican legislators refused to investigate these issues during the legislative session,” McCoy said. “If they had, I’m certain there would have been strong bipartisan support for increasing our investment in child protective services, rather than the cuts imposed by Republicans.”

    -end-

     

  • Senate Democrats respond to legislative GOP budget plan

    Statement by Senator Joe Bolkcom, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee:

    “The budget plan released today by legislative Republicans is terrible news for Iowans.  Republicans are once again balancing the budget on the backs of working Iowans.

    “Senate Democrats will not support drastic cuts that threaten public safety, the quality of education, and the safety net for seniors, children and vulnerable Iowans.

    “These budget cuts could have been avoided if Republican legislators, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds had delivered on their promises to increase family income by 25% and create more than 200,000 new jobs in Iowa.”

    ###

  • Mathis, Ragan respond to Branstad/Reynolds release on Medicaid privatization

    “Everything the Governor lists can be refuted by patients, providers and advocates. Don’t believe this blather,” said Senator Liz Mathis of Robins. “We still have big issues with pre-authorization, physicians dropping hundreds of Medicaid patients and millions of dollars of claims left unpaid to providers. That is far from a successful year.”

    “The willingness of Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds to continue to mislead Iowans about their Medicaid privatization disaster is stunning,” said Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City. “Now it’s up to Lt. Gov. Reynolds to be honest with Iowans and start repairing the damage privatized Medicaid has brought to Iowa families, health care providers and taxpayers.”

    -end-

  • Hindering medical breakthroughs

    Last week, the Senate passed SF 359, a bill to ban voluntary fetal tissue donations.

    This bill puts politics above good science and medicine. The bill is nothing more than a platform for people who are opposed to abortion to perpetuate lies about abortion providers and women who have abortions.

    The legislators behind this bill are the same ones who pushed the personhood bills, would ban all abortion in Iowa and defund Planned Parenthood. This bill does not actually impact the provision of abortion.  It simply harms those who could benefit from medical research.

    It treats abortion differently since research is allowed on fetal tissue following a miscarriage or stillbirth. While an amendment to the bill protects existing cell lines commonly used in research, it means that no new cell lines will be available in the future.

    We don’t know how science will evolve, and to place these kinds of limitation on what kinds of tissue and cells can be researched is short-sighted and could limit future research. While cell lines that meet this definition are available now, several years down the road, there could be a shortage of available cell lines in the future.

    Federal law regulates fetal tissue donation. It recognizes the benefits of fetal tissue donation and does not bar the practice.  It does, however, ban any organization from participating in tissue donation of any kind for profit.

    This bill also sends a message to current and prospective medical researchers that Iowa is not a place to do research on disease curing medical discovery.

  • TODAY: Tell your senator to stand up for injured workers

    This is an action alert for Monday, March 27. Please e-mail state senators to urge them to support Iowa workers by rejecting two bills Iowa Senate Republicans have placed on the daily debate calendar for today:

    1. House File 518 – the bill to gut workers compensation for injured and disabled workers.
    2. House File 295 – the bill to take away local minimum wages and reduce the minimum wage for tens of thousands of Iowa workers.

    You can find their email addresses at www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find, or call the Iowa Senate switchboard at 515-281-3371 to leave messages for specific individual Senators.

    On social media, urge Iowa’s state senators to #SaveIAWorkers and #RaiseTheWage.

     

    Update on Rest of “Dirty Dozen”

    1. Prohibit Local “Pre-Qualification” for Bidding (SF438) – passed Iowa Senate, pending in Iowa House
    2. Circumvent “Buy American” on local road projects (HF203) – passed both Iowa House and Iowa Senate, now signed into law by Governor Branstad
    3. New Government Barriers to Voting (HF516) – passed Iowa House, amended by the Iowa Senate to shorten the window for absentee voting from 40 to 29 days, pending again in the Iowa House
    4. Make Planned Parenthood Ineligible for Medicaid Reimbursement (SF2) – passed Iowa Senate, still pending in Iowa House
    5. Create Religious Exemptions for Boarding School Regulations (SF443) – still pending in Iowa Senate
    6. Eliminate Permits to Acquire Firearms, Other Firearm Changes (HF517) – passed Iowa House, pending in Iowa Senate
    7. Unfunded Mandate on Local Officials to Enforce Immigration Laws (SF481) – still pending in Iowa Senate
    8. Dismantle Des Moines Water Works (HF484/SF456) – still pending in both Iowa House and Iowa Senate
    9. End Bottle and Can Deposit Law (HF575) – pending in Iowa House Ways & Means Committee
    10. Restrict Right to Bring Nuisance Lawsuit (SF447) – passed Iowa Senate and Iowa House, now pending consideration by Governor Branstad. Call his office at 515-281-5211 to urge him to veto it.

  • March 20 action alert on anti-worker bills

    Two of the “dirty dozen” are on the debate schedules for today, one in the Iowa House and one in the Iowa Senate. This update is to ask for your help today, and to encourage you to keep speaking up on other “dirty dozen” issues and on the revised Branstad-Reynolds-Republican budget we expect to see any day now.

     

    Speak Up For Iowa Workers

    In the Senate, we continue to need your help to stop the legislation (SF435/HF518) that would gut Iowa’s highly-rated workers compensation system.

    The Insurance Journal rates Iowa’s system as the third best in the country. Premiums have fallen three of the last four years. Case filings are down. This bill is NOT an Iowa solution to an Iowa problem. Republicans did not campaign on this issue. This legislation is being pursued at the request of big-money, out-of-state special interests.

    By speaking up, you have slowed down this legislation, but it did pass the Iowa House on Thursday and is now back on the debate schedule for today—Monday, March 20—in the Iowa Senate.

    With your help, we can find 4-5 Senate Republicans who will finally stop this bill and give Iowans a chance to consider this legislation more carefully before next year’s legislative session.

    Please e-mail Republican Senators today and call the Senate switchboard (515-281-3371) to leave messages for specific individual Republican Senators this afternoon. E-mail contact information for Republican Senators is available at www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find.

    Here are some of the provisions in SF435/HF518 that would create new barriers to workers’ compensation or arbitrarily reduce compensation:

    • Additional barriers due to alcohol or drug use, even if unrelated to employment.
    • Reduction of compensation for all shoulder injuries.
    • Reduction of compensation for all second work injuries.
    • New “light duty” requirements that could reduce or bar compensation.
    • New and unrealistic time deadlines for asserting a claim.
    • Discriminatory age limitations against people age 67 or older.
    • A new “predominant factor” test that will take away compensation from injured workers because of pre-existing conditions such as age, weight and prior work injuries.
    • New provisions that allow or encourage employers and their insurers to delay paying compensation.

    Stop the Attack on the Des Moines Water Works

    Just like we need your help in the Senate, House Democrats need your help today to stop the bill (HF484) that would take over the Des Moines Water Works, dismantle the utility, and deprive voters from having their say on what should happen to its $300+ million in assets.

    HF484 is on the debate schedule today in the Iowa House, so e-mail state representatives or call the House switchboard (515-281-3221) to leave messages for specific individual Representatives. If House Democrats can find 9-10 House Republicans to oppose this bill, they will be able to stop it.

     

    Update on the Rest of the “Dirty Dozen”

    Here is the status on the rest of the “dirty dozen”:

    1. Prohibit Local “Pre-Qualification” for Bidding (SF438) – passed Iowa Senate, now in Iowa House
    2. Lower Local Minimum Wages (HF295) – passed Iowa House, now in Iowa Senate
    3. Circumvent “Buy American” on local road projects (HF203) – passed both Iowa House and Iowa Senate, and is now pending Governor’s signature. You can call his office at 515-281-5211 to urge Governor Branstad to veto HF203.
    4. New Government Barriers to Voting (HF516) – passed Iowa House, now in Iowa Senate
    5. Make Planned Parenthood Ineligible for Medicaid Reimbursement (SF2) – passed Iowa Senate, now in Iowa House
    6. Create Religious Exemptions for Boarding School Regulations (SF443) – still in Iowa Senate
    7. Eliminate Permits to Acquire Firearms, Other Firearm Changes (HF517) – passed Iowa House, now in Iowa Senate
    8. Unfunded Mandate on Local Officials to Enforce Immigration Laws (SF481) – still in Iowa Senate
    9. End Bottle and Can Deposit Law (HF575) – still in Iowa House
    10. Restrict Right To Bring Nuisance Lawsuit (HF468/SF447) – passed Iowa Senate, now in Iowa House

    Almost every day there is another misguided bill added to our daily debate calendar. Today, the Iowa Senate is expected to debate new caps on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases (SF465) that would be particularly hard on children, seniors and others who do not have “economic” losses—such as lost wages—to recover in the rare cases when medical providers make mistakes that cause harm. This bill is in the Iowa Senate now, and if it passes, will go to the Iowa House for more consideration.

    Last Thursday, the Iowa Senate passed a proposed Constitutional amendment (SJR9) that would incorporate today’s budgeting rules into our Constitution (99 percent spending limitation and revenue forecasting) and would also place a hard cap of 4 percent annual budget growth in our Constitution, regardless of inflation or other emergency health or safety situations that may arise. This amendment is at best unnecessary, and at worst, would tie the hands of future Legislatures at the exact moment when action is most needed. This resolution has passed the Iowa Senate, so please speak up with Iowa House members about it.