(Spirit Lake)– The Early Childhood Iowa program will soon be transitioning to a regional system, similar to what recently took place with behavioral and mental health services in the state.
Brandi Larson of Dickinson County Public Health updated the Board of Supervisors on the transition at their meeting Tuesday. She says Dickinson county will be put into a group of 10 other counties including Emmet, Kossuth, Winnebago, Clay, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Sac, Calhoun, Humboldt, Webster, Wright, Hancock and Worth counties…
“The goal for that merger is stronger, better coordination and sustainability through all of our counties as we’re working together. Nothing will change as far as the services we provide, this year. There may be some changes next year, but that will depend on that board.”
She says the merger is intended to strengthen and better align services…
“It will be organized around the five core service areas, and it shifts from a reactive care to a more prevention-focused model, and it will introduce a lead entity for coordination, planning and funding and that lead entity can be, they’re looking first for a local public health within those 11 counties, they can apply to be that lead entity and they will kind of be in charge of our district. If no local public health puts in an application for that, they will open it up to other entities in those counties like Upper Des Moines, or similar.”
The changes are scheduled to take effect this coming July 1st.
