Final Report of Emergency Services Interim Study Committee, February 2007

The Legislative Council established the Emergency Services Interim Study Committee in 2006 and authorized the Committee to meet for two days during the 2006 Legislative Interim. Upon request by the Committee, the Legislative Council subsequently approved a third meeting. The Committee was charged to study the governance, structure, and funding of the state's emergency services and available training for emergency services providers, and receive input from the Department of Public Defense's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management; Departments of Human Services, Public Health, and Public Safety, including the State Fire Marshal; and representatives of emergency services providers, including the Iowa Firemen's Association, Iowa Fire Chiefs' Association, Iowa Association of Professional Fire Chiefs, Iowa Professional Fire Fighters, Iowa Emergency Medical Services Association, and emergency room physicians.

Traumatic Brain Injury in Iowa: An Analysis of Core Surveillance Data 2006-2008, July 15, 2011

Termed the “silent epidemic”, traumatic brain injury is the most debilitating outcome of injury characterized by the irreversibility of its damages, long-term effects on quality of life, and healthcare costs. The latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that nationally 50,000 people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) die each year; three times as many are hospitalized and more than twenty times as many are released from emergency room departments (ED) (CDC, 2008)1. The purpose of this report is to describe the epidemiology of TBI in Iowa to help guide policy and programming. TBI is a result of an external force which transfers energy to the brain. Stroke is caused by a disruption of blood flow in the brain that leads to brain injury. Though stroke is recognized as the 3rd leading cause of death nationally2, and is an injury that affects the brain it does not meet the definition a traumatic brain injury and is not included in this report.

Traumatic Brain Injury in Iowa Inpatient Hospital Data, 2003-2005

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unintentional injury is the fifth leading cause of death for all age groups and the first leading cause of death for people from 1 to 44 years of age in the United States, while homicide remains the 2nd leading cause of death for 15 to 24 years old (CDC, 2006). In 2004, there were approximately 144,000 deaths due to unintentional injuries in the US; 53% of which represent people over 45 years of age (CDC, 2004). With 20,322 suicidal deaths and 13,170 homicidal deaths, intentional injury deaths affect mostly people under 45 years old. On average, there are 1,150 unintentional deaths per year in Iowa. In 2004, 37% of unintentional deaths were due to motor vehicle accidents (MTVCC) occurring across all age ranges and 30% were due to falls involving persons over 65 years of age 82% of the time (IDPH Health Stat Div., 2004). The most debilitating outcome of injury is traumatic brain injury, which is characterized by the irreversibility of its damages, long-term effects on quality of life, and healthcare costs. The latest data available from the CDC estimated that, nationally, 50,000 traumatic brain injured (TBI) people die each year; three times as many are hospitalized and more than twenty times as many are released from emergency room (ER) departments (CDC, 2006). Besides the TBI registry, brain injury data is also captured through three other data sources: 1) death certificates; 2) hospital inpatient data; and, 3) hospital outpatient data. The inpatient and outpatient hospital data are managed by the Iowa Hospital Association, which provides to Iowa Department of Public Health the hospital data without personal identifiers. (The hospitals send reports to the Agency of Health Care Research and Quality, which developed the Health Care Utilization Project and its product, the National Inpatient Sample).

Iowa State Plan for Brain Injury 2013-2018

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) impacts the lives of thousands of Iowans each year. The effects of brain injury (often called the "silent epidemic" because resulting injury is often not visible to others) are cognitive, emotional, and social but may also result in physical disability. This state plan, created by the Governor's Advisory Council on Brain Injuries, is intended to provide guidance for brain injury services and prevention activities in Iowa. This is the fourth Iowa State Plan for Brain Injury. In addition to a statewide needs assessment, development of this plan included recommendations made by the Mental Health and Disability Services Redesign Brain Injury Work-group. For the first time in the history of TBI surveillance in Iowa, the numbers and rates of TBI deaths are decreasing, however hospitalizations and emergency department visits resulting from TBI are steadily increasing. This trend is likely due to the decrease in motor vehicle accidents and improved hospitalization protocols. Looking to the future, the Advisory Council on Brain Injuries identified goals in each of four focus areas. These focus areas are: #1 Individual and family access; dedicated to the enhancement of the lives of individuals with brain injuries and their families. #2 Service and support availability; #3 Service system enhancements; continued funding growth and public awareness campaigns that draw attention to the impact of brain injury. #4 Brain injury prevention; working to prevent and reduce three of the most common causes of brain injury are falls, no helmet use, and motor vehicle crashes.

Holiday Visits and Gifts, November 2014

With the holidays fast approaching questions inevitably arise concerning a resident’s right and ability to leave a nursing facility. Residents often want to join in family festivities but may believe that leaving a nursing facility for a period of time is not an option because they may lose their source of payment from Medicare, Medicaid, or a long term care insurance policy or lose their room all together.

Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Division Performance Report, FY 2005

Agency Performance Report

Proclamation of Disaster Emergency, Octber 2000

Proclamation of Disaster Emergency by Governor Vilsack, October 2000

Report on Special Investigation of the Linn County Emergency Management Agency, For the Period July 1, 2003 through April 21, 2006

County Audit Report - Special Investigation

Global Prospects for Dairy in Argentina and Chile: Evidence from Field Visits and Model Simulations, August 2006

We assess the international competitiveness of the dairy industries in Argentina and Chile, combining recent market intelligence gathered from field visits with quantitative simulations of global policy reform scenarios. Both countries exhibit strong potential for export growth but face significant internal and external barriers to expanding their dairy industries. Global policy reforms would resolve some of the international obstacles to their expansion. Argentina has great potential, but it is handicapped by its current macroeconomic policies, trade policy distortions, and the uncertainty associated with policy implementation. Chile is more limited in terms of natural capacity for expansion, but it has a positive trade and investment environment.

Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Annual Report, 2005

Agency annual report

Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Annual Report, 2001

Agency annual report

Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Annual Report, 2002

Agency annual report

Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Annual Report, 2003

Agency annual report

Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management 2006 Annual Report

This annual report highlights the many programs and initiatives with which the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division is involved.

Wireless E911 Emergency Communications Fund Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division of the Iowa Department of Public Defense independent auditor's reports, basic financial statements and supplementary information, June 30, 2006.

Audit report on the Wireless E911 Emergency Communication Fund of the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division of the Iowa Department of Public Defense for the year ended June 30, 2006