Scott, Polk counties get mental health funding

DES MOINES - Scott and Polk counties will receive $3 million in mental health care funding, and a mental health care property tax levy will be extended for one year, under plans approved Friday by state lawmakers.

Scott and Polk were chief among the counties that have expressed concerns with their mental health care budgets, saying a lack of state funding in recent years had led to budget shortfalls.

The counties asked for a funding boost from the state and an opportunity to increase their mental health care property tax levy.

Legislatores allocated $2.5 million to Polk County and $500,000 to the Eastern Iowa mental health region that includes Scott County, It extended by one year the mental health property tax levy at its current level.

The deal, passed Friday on the final day of the legislative session, still must be approved by Gov. Terry Branstad, who could veto the provisions.

Lori Elam, who works in the Scott County community services department and is the disability services coordinator of the Eastern Iowa mental health care region, said the $500,000 funding and levy extension will not provide enough help for the region, which has a $2 million budget shortfall.

'We're disappointed,” Elam said. 'We really wanted (the levy increase proposal) passed because that was the long-term funding solution. So by appropriating money one year again, it's a Band-Aid. I think legislators are aware of that. It's just disappointing.”

Rep. Linda Miller, R-Bettendorf, who is on the health care budget committee, said she knew Scott County mental health officials would be disappointed but insisted she got as much funding as she could.

Miller said she hopes funding in other areas of the health care budget, such as money for home health agencies, will lessen the burden on the Eastern Iowa mental health region's budget. Miller, who is retiring from the Legislature, also said she hopes the body can develop a long-term solution.