The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is proposing a bill to create a new early childhood and family services system. The bill (SF 2488) went through several changes before passing the Senate Appropriations Committee last week.
The proposal would remove home visiting services and funding from local Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) boards and put that under state control. But the latest version of the bill would also return some funding to ECI boards and require them to collaborate.
Sen. Kara Warme, R-Ames, said the changes are based on extensive feedback from stakeholders.
“This will allow us to have greater accountability, and also to draw down $7 million in federal funds and to ensure we have evidence-based home visiting across the state,” Warme said.
Sen. Cindy Winkler, D-Davenport, said the state shouldn’t centralize services for families with young kids without knowing the local populations that need help.
“I don’t see that this particular bill is a solution to anything,” Winkler said. “I do feel that it creates more problems and it puts more division between local communities and the programs and services that they serve.”