OTTUMWA, IOWA -- A recent article in the Des Moines Register opened the eyes of many residents in southeast Iowa after a reporter with the paper found 1 in 25 kids in Centerville were being abused.  The numbers were supplied from the state’s child-welfare statistics. 

Tuesday in Centerville and Ottumwa, officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health held forums in which community leaders, law enforcement officers, religious leaders, teachers and parents about what can be done with a new grant to fix problems like the one in Centerville.

Appanoose and Wapello counties were two of three counties, the other being Black Hawk county, that are being targeted by the state to create a plan to, “…improve and coordinate a home visiting program for at-risk mothers and their children.”

According to officials with the department, the counties involved will be able to build on programs that have been working and implement new programs that will help the community.

At the meetings Tuesday, members from the state and gathered identified what services are needed on the local level.  Community members also gave their input on how the state’s in-home visitation program should be implemented. 

Janet Horras with the Iowa Department of Public Health and the in-home services director was very encouraged by the turn-out in Centerville.  Horras, who was leading the meetings, told KTVO that the forums brought organizations together that normally don’t communicate about this subject that often.

The Iowa Department of Public Health received a  federal grant to implement this program.  Horras told KTVO exactly where the money will be going.

“The money will be used primarily for home visitation and to implement a home visitation program.  We will also use the money for infrastructure development,” said Horras.

Horras explained that other programs could come out of the success of this one.

“In Appanoose County we were talking for the need of substance abuse counseling located in the community.  We will also be talking about those kinds of programs in Ottumwa,” said Horras.

With the input today and the input at the upcoming meetings in Black Hawk County, Horras and her team will create a program around what the community wanted.

Programs like the one Horras and her team are creating could spread to other counties in the state.  If the program is successful, which many are hoping for in the community, the child abuse and substance abuse numbers for the counties involved should drop in the future. 

If you would like more information on the Iowa Department of Public Health, click here.

If you would like to read the article from the Des Moines Register mentioned above, click here.