Capitol Notebook: $13M in Iowa opioid treatment grants open

Two grant programs, totaling $13 million to address opioid treatment and recovery programs in Iowa, are open for applications, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday.

The grants are part of a $17.5 million allocation Reynolds announced in May to increase the availability of opioid treatment services.

The programs are funded by federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

Reynolds announced the funding after state lawmakers failed to agree during this year's legislative session on a plan to spend the state's Opioid Settlement Fund, which held more than $47 million in May.

“The battle against substance use disorder is all too familiar for families struggling through the opioid epidemic,” Reynolds said. “This funding for projects that support prevention, treatment and recovery can provide addicted Iowans a pathway to sobriety and a productive, fulfilling life.”

The $10 million Iowa Opioid Treatment and Recovery Infrastructure Grant is available for existing opioid treatment and recovery centers to fund improvements to physical infrastructure and expansion. The $3 million Iowa Recovery Housing Fund will provide grants to nonprofits to develop sober recovery housing.

The infrastructure grant program is open through Sept. 30. The housing grant program will be open July 29 to Oct. 31.

The remaining $4.5 million in federal funds will be spent on an initiative to reduce opioid prescriptions given by providers, an overdose prevention campaign and to complete a youth recovery center in Cambridge, a small city in Story County in central Iowa.

Iowa jobless rate holds steady

Iowa's June unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the third month in a row, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

The rate held steady and is below the national unemployment rate, 4.1 percent.

The number of unemployed Iowans dropped to 46,600, a decrease of 300 from May. The number of working Iowans fell to a little over 1.6 million, the agency said.

“Despite ongoing economic challenges, Iowa’s workforce held steady during June as private industries advanced by 1,500 jobs,” said Beth Townsend, executive director of Iowa Workforce Development, in a news release. “Iowa’s economy has shown great resilience and employers continue to hire."

Poll worker program wins national award

A poll worker recruitment initiative by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate was recognized by the National Association of Secretaries of State with its annual IDEAS award, Pate's office announced.

The award, which stands for Innovation, Dedication, Excellence and Achievement in Service, is granted by the national nonpartisan group for initiatives that advance an area overseen by a secretary of state.

The Iowa Secretary of State's Office's program, called "Recruiting the Next Generation of Poll Workers," outlines the office's efforts to hire poll workers in the state. The office began the initiative in 2020 in response to poll worker shortages because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pate's office said the initiatives have helped identify more than 21,000 poll workers since they began.

“I am thrilled that my colleagues recognize the important role poll workers play in election integrity," Pate said in a news release. "Poll workers are our secret weapon to keeping Iowa elections safe and secure."

Manure spill kills fish in NW Iowa

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a manure spill that caused a fish kill in O'Brien County in northwest Iowa.

After receiving a report of a fish kill in Mud Creek, the DNR found a Paulina dairy was applying manure in a field. The manure entered a blown-out tile that discharged into the creek, the DNR said.

The fish kill stretches for several miles, and the investigation is ongoing. While the amount of manure released is unknown, the DNR said the spill was stopped.

The DNR advised downstream water users to avoid using water from Mud Creek.