Mental health center fight pursues

More than 60 Clarinda residents packed a hearing room Monday to argue against closing the Clarinda Mental Health Institute.

The House State Government Committee hearing was on the comprehensive government reorganization bill that includes provisions for closing one of the four state mental health institutes.

“The public hearing allowed people to share personal stories on how those programs affect people and bring a face to the issues. I think we were able to do that for the Clarinda MHI,” said Jason Bridie, a member of the Clarinda delegation that has been fighting to keep the institute open.

In all, 12 Clarinda-area residents addressed the committee during the two-hour hearing about the vital role the Clarinda institute plays in providing mental health services to southwest Iowa and the impact closing it would have on the local economy. Closing the Clarinda institute would mean the loss of about 100 jobs and create difficulties in the delivery of services for the sister facilities that make up the Clarinda Treatment Complex, including the Clarinda Academy and Clarinda Correctional Facility.

After the hearing, the Clarinda contingent met with legislators to encourage them to support the House of Representatives' version of the reorganization bill. That version removed references to closing any of the four mental health institutes in the state or shifting services.

The measure passed by the Senate on Feb. 1 eliminates dozens of boards and commissions, merges some small agencies, streamlines larger ones and forces centralized purchasing and computer operations. The original legislation called for closing the mental health facility in Mount Pleasant, but an amendment substituted the Clarinda facility. It was the amended version that passed the Senate.

Bridie anticipates the House version of the legislation will be debated by state representatives later this week.

If the House version is passed, the bill returns to the Senate for approval. However, if the two sides cannot agree on the language of the reorganization bill, it would go to a joint committee to determine the bill that goes to Gov. Chet Culver.

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