Supervisors approve contract with VMH for crisis stabilization beds

During its regular meeting Monday, December 19, the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met with CPC Jan Heikes, who presented the Board with a contract with Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon for “crisis stabilization beds.” Heikes said the program, which has been in place since August, is designed to help patients with mental health issues by providing supervision while arrangements are made for further services with other providers (up to 23 hours). She said that the program has helped to reduce the shortage of mental health beds by freeing up space for patients truly in need of inpatient care. The Board approved the contract with VMH for $650 per day for the service. Heikes also presented the Board with her annual management report for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Services.
The Board also met with Solid Waste Director Dave Mooney, who reported that the use of manned trucks at rural sites has been working out very well, though he has received several complaints from residents of the Harpers Ferry area, which does not currently have a manned site. Mooney said that he agrees that Harpers Ferry should have a site and suggested possibly shutting down the Ludlow site, which hasn’t been well utilized, and setting up site near Harpers Ferry with pickup on Wednesday nights. If traffic at the Ludlow site picks up, Mooney suggested adding a Saturday morning pickup at one of the sites to allow for six rural sites. Mooney also asked for and received the Board’s approval to hire current part-time employee Paul Dahlstrom as a full-time employee at $10.00 per hour beginning January 3.
The Board also spoke by telephone with Northeast Iowa Juvenile Detention Services Director Lou Cox, who had sent the Board a resolution to allow the use of a portion of the Northeast Iowa Juvenile Detention facility to house adults released from crisis stabilization beds at Allen and Covenant Hospitals in Blackhawk County. Cox said that 15 beds at the facility are not being used and could be used as a temporary shelter while more permanent arrangements are being made for the patients. The Board approved the resolution.
In other business, the Board approved hiring Robert McCormick as a Maintenance Man II at the Secondary Roads shop in Dorchester at $15.80 per hour starting January 3.