Case Management could end soon in Jones County

     Lucia Herman, Jones County’s Community Services director, met with the Board of Supervisors during their Sept. 5 meeting to provide updates on targeted case management services.

     Targeted CM services assist people with intellectual disabilities, brain injury, or developmental disabilities to gain access to the medical and social services needed.

     Herman said right now, Jones County has 43 clients in this area, which is too much for the case managers to keep up with. She said about a dozen have been transferred to MCO (managed care organization) AmeriHealth Caritas. Herman warned the board that at some point in the near future, Jones County might want to look at doing away with case management services.

     “This mean laying off one person and closing the department,” said Herman. “The rumor is that all clients will be transferred by the end of the year; some case management departments are already gone.”

     Herman told the supervisors they will need to make a decision within the next couple of months.

     “A lot of counties are closing on their own terms so they can finalize their budgets and jump through a lot of hoops and be forced to close,” Herman said.

     On the downside, Herman said many local clients would like to remain with Jones County because of the personal service offered.

     “Many clients want to keep us,” shared Herman, “but it’s out of our hands.” She said any appeals clients are making to the state are merely being treated as complaints. Herman said it’s a state decision to switch to MCOs, not the counties.

     “By early October,” she said, “I would consider ending case management.”

     Supervisor Ned Rohwedder questioned whether the MCOs have the staff necessary to handle an influx of clients when counties close their CM departments. Herman said while she can’t speak for them, “the state says they’re required to.

     “MCOs have to take clients on,” she added.

In other county business:

     • The board approved a request from Becky DirksHaugsted, representing the Anamosa veterans’ organizations, to hold a 9/11 remembrance ceremony on the east courthouse lawn. The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11.

     • The board approved a grant agreement with the Wellmark Foundation for the Wapsipinicon Trail Project. The grant is in the amount of $100,000 and will go towards construction of the trail. The trail committee previously secured a $25,000 Wellmark grant for engineering.

     Jones County Economic Development Director Dusty Embree said the $100,000 grant asks for a match of up to $50,000. She said that could be in-kind work, private donations, and work that has already been completed.

     Phase 1 of the trail is approximately $976,000; phase 2 is $500,000. With the Wellmark grant, they have $817,000 secured for phase 1, “with a couple of grants to come in yet,” said Embree. She said the committee is still taking in private donations.

     • The board approved the final plat of the Hollywood Acres subdivision in Lovell Township. The owner is listed as Louis Sperfslage; the developer is Denise Miossi.

     The subdivision will include lots 1 and 2, with development on lot 2.

     • Then board approved contracts with Mercy Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital for substance abuse committal services. There were no rate changes for either contract.