DES MOINES - Today, AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan issued the following statement about a recent Public Policy Polling poll on Governor Branstad's decision to close Clarinda and Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Institutes:

"Iowans overwhelmingly oppose Governor Branstad's decision to close Clarinda and Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Institutes. 68 percent oppose closing these facilities; only 12 percent support the closings.

"Throughout this entire process, Governor Branstad has ignored the voices of patients and their families, mental health professionals, law enforcement professionals, community leaders, and legislators. He has recklessly charged forward with his plan to close these facilities.

"This poll makes it clear: Iowans oppose these closures. The Governor needs to start listening to Iowans, put mental health services first, and stop barreling towards closing these facilities with no real plan to replace the services they provide to Iowans facing mental health challenges."

DES MOINES - Today, AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan issued the following statement about Governor Branstad's recommendation to close the Clarinda and Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Institutes:

"The well-being of the clients who rely on DHS facilities must come first in any decision about those facilities' future.

"This decision by the Branstad Administration to propose closing these facilities has taken almost everyone by surprise, including legislators. Before releasing this recommendation as part of the budget, Governor Branstad does not appear to have sought the opinion of the families of the clients of these two facilities, legislators, community leaders, employees, or AFSCME. The Iowa Department of Human Services even requested funds to operate these facilities; however, the Governor removed those funds from his budget

"The fact that this proposal was quietly tucked into a large budget book without explanation and not even mentioned by the Governor in his Condition of the State speech is yet another failure of the Governor to live up to his promises of a transparent and open government.

"Such a drastic recommendation that will impact the care of some of the most vulnerable Iowans should have not been reached behind closed doors. This sort of secretive government is wrong and it is not good for Iowans, especially those who will be affected by this decision.

"The recommendation already appears to be impacting care. Rep. Dave Heaton said that he was told by the Administration that the facilities have stopped accepting new patients and filling job vacancies. These sort of unilateral moves toward closure without consulting the legislature is inappropriate.

"AFSCME Iowa Council 61 believes the future of these facilities should be decided by the Legislature after extensive opportunities for input by all. The vulnerable Iowans who rely on these facilities deserve nothing less."

DES MOINES - Today, AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan issued the following statement regarding Polk County District Court Judge Scott D. Rosenberg's ruling and order on the plaintiffs' application for preliminary injunction and defendants' motion to dismiss in Homan et al. v. Branstad et al.:

"We are pleased that the court has sided with the plaintiffs by opening the Iowa Juvenile Home. Iowa's young girls are the real winners in this decision.

"For the sake of the safety of Iowa's children, the governor should immediately comply with this court order and reopen the Iowa Juvenile Home as instructed by the District Court."

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DES MOINES - Today, the AFSCME Iowa Council 61 PEOPLE Committee announced its endorsement of Tyler Olson for Governor. AFSCME members joined Representative Olson for an announcement in Des Moines at AFSCME Iowa Council 61's Union Hall.

"We are proud to endorse Tyler Olson's candidacy for Governor. AFSCME members were impressed by Tyler's commitment to strengthen and grow Iowa's middle class. We know that he will bring Iowans together and focus on making sure that all Iowans have the opportunity to achieve and maintain the American Dream," said AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President and PEOPLE Committee Chair Danny Homan.

"We were also impressed by the strong campaign organization that his campaign is building. We know that Tyler Olson is the candidate who will end the divisive politics of Terry Branstad by winning on Election Day," added Homan.

"AFSCME has an incredible track record of standing up for middle class Iowa families and I am proud to have its members' support. I share AFSCME's commitment to fighting for middle class families across the state and look forward to working with them and all Iowans ready to move our great state forward," said Tyler Olson, candidate for Governor.

AFSCME is known for its political action program which is financed with voluntary contributions. The program supplies grassroots volunteers for AFSCME-endorsed candidates.

In Iowa, AFSCME Iowa Council 61 represents 40,000 public employees including law enforcement and correctional officers, firefighters, mental health workers, professional school staff, emergency responders, and many other workers. AFSCME Iowa also represents home health care and child care providers across the state and private sector workers at Prairie Meadows, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Des Moines University, and ABM (Marshalltown).