State moves forward on merging human services, public health programs

The state of Iowa is looking for a private company to help integrate programs of the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Public Health (IDPH).

Governor Kim Reynolds indicated this summer that she planned to merge many operations of the departments, which serve a combined total of more than 1 million Iowans. After Gerd Clabaugh announced plans to retire as IDPH director, Reynolds appointed DHS Director Kelly Garcia to serve simultaneously as interim director of public health, saying in a news release, “This is an opportunity to increase cooperation and collaboration between these two agencies to better serve Iowans.”

A Request for Proposal reveals more details about the planned scope of the reorganization, which is scheduled to begin early next year. Notably, control of infectious diseases is among the areas of the IDPH’s work that will be “excluded from the redesign.”

The Iowa Department of Administrative Services published this document on its bid opportunities website on October 23. Letters of intent to bid are due on November 9, and bids are due on December 7. The state will select a winning bidder in late January, with a view to starting project work in mid-February.

Read more: https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2020/10/26/state-moves-forward-on-merging-human-services-public-health-programs/