MOUNT PLEASANT – Bipartisan leaders of the Iowa House and Senate gathered today in Mount Pleasant to urge Governor Branstad to sign bipartisan legislation to ensure that the Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute continues to provide mental health care to Iowa families.
Senator Rich Taylor of Mount Pleasant, the organizer of the event, said “Iowans are asking Governor Branstad to do the right thing. The Governor should sign this bipartisan legislation and keep this institution open and allow the skilled, caring people who work here to continue providing help to people who have nowhere else to turn.”
Mount Pleasant community leaders joined Taylor and other legislators today for a joint event that focused on encouraging Iowans to contact the Governor to encourage him to sign the legislation that would keep the Mount Pleasant facility open. They included Steve Brimhall, Mayor of Mount Pleasant; Dr. Steve Titus, President of Iowa Wesleyan College; and Travis Krause, Executive Vice President, Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce.
In January, Governor Branstad surprised Iowa health care providers and advocates by proposing to close the Mount Pleasant institution.
“The Mount Pleasant MHI is an important local, regional and statewide resource,” said Representative Dave Heaton of Mount Pleasant. “Every Iowa community benefits from keeping these talented people working for Iowans in need. That’s why both the Iowa House and Senate voted to keep the Mount Pleasant facility open.”
Heaton is the House chair of the Joint Human Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. His Democratic counterpart, Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City, traveled to Mount Pleasant to make the case for keeping the mental health institute open.
“Given the fact that Iowa’s mental health care system is already struggling, legislators were shocked when Governor Branstad unilaterally called for the closure of the Mount Pleasant MHI,” said Ragan. “This issue was thoroughly discussed in the Legislature over the last six months. We worked hard to find common ground and Governor Branstad should honor that agreement.”
During the 2015 session, the Iowa House and the Iowa Senate approved legislation and provided funding to provide Iowa families with adult acute psychiatric care and dual diagnosis substance abuse in-patient care at the Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute. Governor Branstad has until the first week of July to either approve or disapprove the agreement.
Labor leaders are just worried that Branstad just may grow a pair and start looking at privitizing all government agencies … Which would only save money and provide better service ….
I say pay to keep it open as long as the liberal democrats are court ordered to receive treatment for their stupidity ……
Hope he does take a closer look unlike the government of S. Carolina did not.. Mental ill person kills people (and sad they knew this person was sick) and now they blame it on the Southern State Flag – Man do they have us brainwashed or what. I know its summer and hot outside but LAY OFF THE KOOL AID !
Good Points. Although the last I heard the reason they closed the facility was due to lack of patients. There were only seven there and the staff far out numbered the patients. The union refused to adjust the manpower so they closed it down. If they reopen with the proper staffing it just might work. I think they are willing to provide the service but doctors must recognise the problem. There are a lot of strange people out there. We just got rid of a weirdo on here.