Iowa nonprofit receives $1 million grant to fight opioid overdoses

An Iowa health care nonprofit received a nearly $1 million federal grant for adolescent and young adult behavioral health in an effort to address opioid overdoses.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $999,998 to the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative, a nonprofit focused on improving patient care standards in Iowa.

In total, $80 million is going to 39 states from the grant program, which is aimed at helping rural communities mitigate overdose risks from fentanyl and other opioids.

Iowa’s overdose death rate is one of the lowest in the U.S., but the number has been rising, along with national trends, in recent years. Authorities have reported a vast increase in the amount of fentanyl seized, and fentanyl is involved in more than 80 percent of opioid overdoses, according to 2022 state data.

The Iowa Healthcare Collaborative grant will focus on “building, strengthening and expanding mental health and substance use disorder services for young people in rural communities to expand treatment and help prevent overdose,” according to a news release from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

In the release, agency administrator Carol Johnson said targeting funding based on population metrics can leave rural communities without needed avenues for mental health and addiction treatment.

“That’s why the investments we are announcing today are targeted to rural communities and tailored to the unique challenges of helping rural health care leaders expand access to treatment and build recovery pathways to prevent overdose,” she said.

Iowa AG sues contractors for illegal digging

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed lawsuits against three contractors in Boone, Jones and Marion counties for allegedly conducting illegal excavations that damaged utility lines.

Iowa law requires anyone who digs, excavates or trenches in the state to call 811, the Iowa One Call number, 48 hours in advance to ensure they do not damage underground structures.

“Before you dig, call 811,” Bird said in a news release. “Not only is it the law, but it's the best way to protect yourself, your property, and your community. Hitting an underground utility line can cause serious injuries, property damage and service disruptions.”

Bird is suing Klein Concrete of Boone County, JK Landscape of Jones County, and Van Den Broek Concrete of Marion County. The lawsuits ask the court to impose fines of up to $15,000 on the businesses.

Bird’s office alleges JK Landscape damaged a natural gas pipeline and Van Den Broek Concrete damaged an electrical line, while Klein Concrete allegedly came within several feet of a natural gas pipeline.

AG warns law firms against race-based hiring

Bird also joined four other state attorneys general in a letter to 100 large law firms warning that diversity practices in recruitment and hiring could constitute racial discrimination.

"Differential treatment based on race is not only divisive but illegal," Bird said in a tweet Wednesday.

The letter was signed by the attorneys general of Montana, Arkansas, Kansas and Kentucky, in addition to Bird. They claim the country's major law firms have adopted racially discriminatory hiring practices by instituting racial quotas and preferences in promotions and recruiting. The letter also pointed to diversity internship and fellowship programs as evidence of racial preference.

The attorneys general argue in the letter that the Supreme Court decision this summer outlawing affirmative action admission policies at colleges extends to private employers. They urged the firms to cease any practices involving race-based quotas or preferences.

Secretary of state urges high school voter registration

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is asking Iowa high schools to help their eligible students register to vote as part of a statewide initiative.

Pate has conducted the initiative each school year since 2019. Schools that register more than 90 percent of their eligible students by March 22 will receive the Carrie Chapman Catt Award, named after the Iowan and women’s suffrage activist.

Seventeen-year-olds in Iowa can register to vote and participate in primary elections if they will be 18 by the time of the general election. They also generally are allowed to participate in presidential caucuses, but parties have more power to determine eligibility requirements for their presidential caucuses under a state law passed this year. Neither party has laid out specific rules for the Jan. 15 caucuses.

“Young people in Iowa are becoming more and more engaged in Iowa’s election processes,” Pate said in a statement. “Registering students to vote is a big step in keeping up that momentum.”

Iowa Supreme Court to hold evening sessions

The Iowa Supreme Court will hold a special evening session in Des Moines, along with special sessions at Drake University and University of Iowa law schools during its upcoming term. The court also will hear special evening sessions of oral arguments in Waverly, Marion and Bondurant during its 2023-24 term, which starts Sept. 1 and runs to June 28, 2024.

The special sessions are designed to make it more convenient for members of the public who wish to attend and listen to arguments before the court.

All Supreme Court oral arguments are livestreamed and open to the public.

The court's complete oral argument calendar for the 2023-24 term is available on the Iowa Judicial Branch website.