(Des Moines)– A proposal by Governor Tom Vilsack to close five regional Department of Human Services offices and eliminate 170 middle management jobs is raising the ire of children’s rights advocates. Both the governor and D-H-S Director Jesse Rasmussen agree that no “front-line” employees will be affected. Even so, Ralph Rosenberg with the Coalition of Family and Children’s Services says people will be hurt, especially Iowa’s vulnerable children.
Rosenberg says the budget cuts would put the department in worse shape than it was before the death of Spirit Lake toddler Shelby Duis. The case set off a firestorm over how the state investigates child abuse.
Rosenberg says services will be affected by a reduction in the amount paid to non-profit agencies that do the state’s work.
