Iowa DHS Closes Two Mental Health Institutes, Union & Legislators Sue

On June 30, 2015, the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) closed the Clarinda and Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Institutes (MHIs), state-run inpatient mental health facilities, as part of the state’s planned mental health services realignment. On July 9, 2015, the union representing the MHI employees plus 20 state legislators sued the governor and DHS alleging that the closure violated state law, which says “the State of Iowa shall operate Mental Health Institutes in Mt. Pleasant and Clarinda.”

In “Iowa American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) v. Iowa Governor & Department of Human Services” the . . .