Late last month, Gov. Chet Culver signed into law legislation to help protect Iowa’s vulnerable adults.
The laws should make it harder to run an unlicensed care facility and easier to report dependent adult abuse.
They require state agencies to coordinate their response to allegations of abuse and require records of those allegations to be kept longer.
They [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Atalissa’
6/6 Column: System for dependent adults still needs care
Posted in Gazette Columns, tagged Atalissa, dependent adults, disibility issues, Henry's Turkey Service on June 10, 2009 | Comments Off
Atalissa task force: Keep the conversation going
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Atalissa, Henry's Turkey Service, intellectual disabilities on April 1, 2009 | 1 Comment »
The Task Force on Dependent Adults with Mental Retardation’s report to Gov. Chet Culver is up on the state’s Web site. It’s a hefty document, including more than two dozen recommendations to better protect Iowa’s dependent and vulnerable adults.
Most recommendations can be implemented right away and on the cheap, including improved coordination between government agencies, redesigning [...]
3/14 Column: Use Atalissa “gift” to demand change
Posted in Gazette Columns, tagged Atalissa, Henry's Turkey Service on March 16, 2009 | Comments Off
The problem isn’t Henry’s Turkey Service or even the regulation of unlicensed care facilities, service providers, disability advocates and loved ones told state leaders Friday.
The problem, they said, is a patchwork of services that is out of date and underfunded. It’s red tape and confusion in a system poorly equipped to deal with aging dependent [...]
Disability hearing today in Iowa City
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Atalissa, disability issues, Henry's Turkey Service on March 13, 2009 | Comments Off
The governor’s task force on dependent adults with mental retardation will be in Iowa City for public hearings today.
The group was established after 21 intellectually disabled men were found living in a converted Atalissa schoolhouse. They’ve been charged with developing recommendations to strengthen and improve state law and regulations concerning dependent adults.
Today they expect to hear from people about a range of related issues, including: housing and [...]
2/28 Column: What took so long?
Posted in Gazette Columns, tagged Atalissa, Henry's Turkey Service on February 28, 2009 | Comments Off
We were all — rightly — up in arms this week after receiving the files that proved state officials knew for decades that things weren’t right at Henry’s Turkey Service’s Atalissa bunkhouse.
But an equally important fact hasn’t gotten nearly as much ink: A lot of people knew.
Newspapers had reported on the controversial arrangement as early [...]
State releases Atalissa files
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Atalissa, Henry's Turkey Service on February 24, 2009 | Comments Off
The Iowa Department of Human Services has posted their public files from two investigations into Henry’s Turkey Service of Atalissa. I’m on my way out the door for an appointment, but wanted you to have them ASAP.
You can find the files here.
I’ll be reading through this in the afternoon, but I’m also interested in knowing [...]
2/21 Column: Worker says DHS stifled 1970s bunkhouse report
Posted in Gazette Columns, tagged Atalissa, Henry's Turkey Service on February 21, 2009 | Comments Off
State officials have known for decades about questionable living and working arrangements at the Atalissa bunkhouse, but told social workers to turn a blind eye, according to a former social worker.
“We were stunned, we were angry, we were flabbergasted,” Jan Soboroff told me Friday. But they didn’t feel like they could do anything about it, [...]
Better protecting Iowa’s dependent adults
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Atalissa, Henry's Turkey Service on February 17, 2009 | Comments Off
For tomorrow’s column, I talked to a number of disability advocates who say they weren’t surprised to hear allegations at least 21 men with mental retardation were exploited.
“The history of services to people with cognitive impairments and intellectual disabilities is fraught with abuse,” said Lex Frieden, former Chairman of the National Council on Disability.
Frieden helped [...]
Legislators call hearings on Atalissa boys
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Atalissa, Henry's Turkey Service on February 13, 2009 | Comments Off
This today from Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, in an e-mail newsletter to constituents:
At this time of national recession, some unethical corporations are taking advantage of hard pressed Iowa workers.
First there was the controversy surrounding violations of labor laws and other regulations at the AgriProcessors meatpacking plant in Postville. Now we learn that a group [...]
Henry’s Turkey: 16 years ago
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Atalissa, Henry's Turkey Service on February 12, 2009 | Comments Off
Found this profile of now deceased Henry’s Turkey Service co-owner T.H. Johnson. It paints a picture of a much different time:
A special group farm
The Gazette (Cedar Rapids-Iowa City) – Tuesday, September 15, 1992
Author: Dave Gosch
ATALISSA – T.H. Johnson proved that a Texan could build a good program in Iowa long before Hayden Fry arrived here.
Johnson’s [...]
